Funding to cover up to 80% of the cost of north-east community projects is expected to be approved tomorrow.
Councillors on the Banff and Buchan area committee meet on Tuesday for a special meeting of the group to discuss the proposals.
Aberdeenshire Council wants to provide the 12 community councils in the area with £41 in funding for each of its meetings to create a separate pot of over £3,000 to fund projects within their communities.
If approved, it would mean that community councils could apply for money worth 80% of a project’s cost – to a maximum of £1,000 – to improve towns and villages.
Maria Walker, the authority’s director of education and children’s services, was the architect of the scheme.
In her report to councillors, she said the area committee would ultimately be responsible for deciding which projects receive funding.
She added: “This enables the budget to be used responsively to address the needs of communities and maximises the use of scarce resources.
“This enables Aberdeenshire Council, through the utilisation of all available resources, to work more closely with individuals and communities to understand their needs, maximise talents and resources, support self-reliance, and build resilience.”
The scheme’s success would on community councils making bids for the money.
Earlier this year, councillors in Peterhead were forced to award one project more than the £1,000 cap because no one else had applied for funding.
St Fergus’ village hall committee received the money to help repair and refurbish its facility in February.
Since approving the funding last March, councillors in the Buchan area had awarded £424 to New Pitsligo’s community council to help with providing sheds for a sheltered housing association.
Mintlaw was awarded £600 towards an art project, and Maud’s village hall was handed £1,000 to refurbish a kitchen.
St Fergus was awarded the remaining £1,173.
Councillors in Banff and Buchan will have £3,331 to split across the region.
