Orkney Islands Council has been awarded £200,000 from the Scottish Government to invest in its towns. Across Scotland a total of £50million has been made available through The Town Centre Fund a partnership between the Scottish Government and COSLA (representing local authorities).

OIC Councillor Steven Heddle, COSLA’s Environment and Economy Spokesperson said:

“Local Economic Development drives so much of the other vital things that Councils do on behalf of our Communities.  This was a message we promoted as part of our essential services campaign ahead of this year’s budget.  We were clear that inclusive growth must be supported through investment in Local Government.

“We welcome today’s announcement of the £50 million for investment in our towns and we will continue to work with Scottish Government on our shared priority of Inclusive Growth and growing Scotland’s Economy.”

The amounts allocated are 2019/2020:

• Aberdeen City : £1,351,000
• Aberdeenshire: £3,286,000
• Angus: £ 1,080,000
• Argyll & Bute: £1,242,000
• City of Edinburgh: £2,613,000
• Clackmannanshire: £683,000
• Dumfries & Galloway: £1,529,000
• Dundee City: £735,000
• East Ayrshire: £1,701,000
• East Dunbartonshire: £944,000
• East Lothian: £1,275,000
• East Renfrewshire: £981,000
• Falkirk: £1,976,000
• Fife: £4,335,000
• Glasgow City: £3,010,000
• Highland: £2,965,000
• Inverclyde: £660,000
• Midlothian: £910,000
• Moray: £ 1,233,000
• Na h-Eileanan Siar: £ 223,000
• North Ayrshire: £1,418,000
• North Lanarkshire: £3,250,000
• Orkney: £ 200,000
• Perth & Kinross: £1,983,000
• Renfrewshire: £1,459,000
• Scottish Borders: £1,421,000
• Shetland: £ 205,000
• South Ayrshire: £1,064,000
• South Lanarkshire: £2,506,000
• Stirling: £1,077,000
• West Dunbartonshire: £ 859,000
• West Lothian: £1,826,000

The money is to be used as local authorities see fit in order to improve town centres and high streets supporting them to become more vibrant places.

Derek Mackay,  Economy Secretary in the Scottish Government said:

“This £50 million fund will enable local authorities to stimulate and support a wide range of investments which will encourage town centres to diversify and flourish, and create an increase in footfall through local improvements and partnerships.

“It is part of a wider boost to the economy through providing more than £5 billion of capital investment to grow and modernise Scotland’s infrastructure, and a wider package of support to businesses, including maintaining a competitive business rates package and providing the most generous package of non-domestic rates reliefs anywhere in the UK.”