Councillors have backed £364,000 of community funding to support young athletes in the north-east and protect the Doric dialect.
Aberdeenshire councillors met yesterday to approve four new tranches of grant cash available to not-for-profit organisations in the area.
The aim is to promote sport and culture across the north-east and support voluntary groups who might otherwise struggle to stay afloat.
As part of the proposals, 50% of the largest pot – Connecting Communities – must be spent on regenerating the towns of Banff, Macduff, Fraserburgh and Peterhead.
Council lifelong learning and leisure boss, John Harding, said: “It’s been agreed with finance colleagues that the funds should be spent over the next two year.
“The objective is to better prepare voluntary organisations for the difficult financial times ahead.”
Opposition spokeswoman Isobel Davidson backed the cash in principle, but questioned why four towns were being singled out for a boost.
She added: “While I can understand throughout Aberdeenshire, there are organisations that need support, I would like this taken out – there’s a fair amount of regeneration funding in those areas as well.
“It’s about the importance of an organisation, not its location.”
However, committee chairman, Charles Buchan, who represents the Fraserburgh area, hit back, arguing: “Regeneration in defined areas is a council priority.
All policy committees have responsibility for regeneration. You can hardly accuse the education committee of splurging on the regeneration areas. Our school estate is amongst the worst in the six Aberdeenshire areas.”
The committee finally agreed to approve the funding scheme with the special provision for the four regeneration towns.
The progress of the scheme will be monitored carefully and any unspent money from the regeneration towns could be freed up for spending elsewhere.
The Connecting Communities fund is worth a total of £240,000 and is available for projects which help reduce childhood obesity and promote Doric and other north-east culture.
A £24,000 Excel Fund is aimed at supporting individuals or teams to develop skills and take part in national or international sporting and cultural events.
A £40,000 Creative Economy fund for practical projects and a £60,000 Assist Fund to offer short-term aid to cultural groups are also available.
