The Dumfriesshire East Community Benefit Group (DECBG), which manages the Community Benefit Fund for ScottishPower Renewables’ Ewe Hill 16 Windfarm, recently awarded a third tranche of funding amounting to almost £145,000.
The third round attracted 19 applications ranging in size from £1,645 to £30,000. Demand once again outstripped the available funding so some difficult decisions had to be made. Seven applications were deferred or declined and available funds were shared amongst the remaining 12 applicants.
The following grants were awarded:
Eskdale Agricultural and Pastoral Society (purchase of sheep gates £3,700); Eskdalemuir Community Council (Eskdale Defibrillator project £17,415); Gilnockie Public Hall Committee (roof maintenance £3,600); Gretna and District Festival (Gretna Festival Upgrading £2,500); Kirkpatrick Fleming and District Community Council (Village Hall chair seating replacement £1,645); Langholm Playcare Ltd (running costs £15,000); Langholm, Eskdalemuir, Ewes and Westerkirk Parish Church (external disabled access £12,685); The Langholm Initiative (Richer Lives: Next Steps £20,000); Lockerbie Squash and Racketball Club (replacement of heaters and health and safety upgrade £25,000); Mid Annandale Amateur Football Club (accessible toilet block and covered grandstand £30,000); Muckle Toon Adventure Festival (Muckle Toon Adventure Festival 2019 £7,500); Stormont Hall, Springfield (new room divider £4,342); Upper Eskdale Development Group (Pool and a Pint £1,252).
DECBG has secured funding from Local Energy Scotland (LES) to undertake a Consultation on what the Communities eligible for funding from Ewe Hill Windfarm wish to see develop in their area over the next 25 years. Through Southern Uplands Partnership, which administers the Ewe Hill 16 Fund on behalf of DECBG, Consultants, Creetown Initiative, have just been appointed to carry out this Community Consultation Exercise which will result in an Action Plan for the wider East Dumfriesshire area. It will also focus on the Ewe Hill 6 Group areas: Corrie; Hutton and Boreland; Langholm, Ewes and Westerkirk; Middlebie and Waterbeck; Tundergarth. The community consultation will kick off at DECBG’s Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 23rd April 2019, at 7.00 pm in Lockerbie Town Hall. Come along and tell us how you would like to see money spent in the area.
The fourth funding round is now open with Application Forms and Guidance available to download from SUP’s website www.sup.org.uk or by emailing decbgscio@gmail.com. These will shortly also be available on DECBG’s own website – watch this space. The deadline for applications for the next round is 31 July 2019, for consideration at a Board meeting in September 2019.