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Nairn councillors have spoken of exciting times ahead for Nairn, as they stepped up progress with the Common Good Fund.
The voluntary car parking charges have generated £87,000, which can now go directly back into local projects.
Members have allocated £10,000 for events next year, and also set aside £22,000 to fund a part-time Common Good Fund officer.
This new position will take charge of local projects, driving them forward and monitoring progress.
Councillor Michael Green, chairman of Nairnshire area committee, says the Common Good Fund will be “an increasingly important focus in local development”.
He proposed the creation of a “local and truly representative group” who will act as a sounding board for local trustees. Nairn councillor Babs Jarvie said she’d like to see more young people come on board, to help create a vision for Nairn.
Councillors hope to run a workshop in March to generate ideas and begin a wider local conversation.
And while the ‘invitation to pay’ car parking charges have delivered an £87,000 surplus to the Nairn Common Good Fund, councillors acknowledged some teething problems.
Cllr Green said Highland Council plans to review the scheme in the hope of ironing out any issues, and will invite the pubic to provide feedback.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors also approved nearly £84,000 in funding for the Nairn Links. Drawing cash from the coastal communities and place-based investment funds, the committee agreed to invest in projects from Team Hamish and Nairn Access Panel.
Team Hamish – the group behind the popular splashpad – plans to revamp the mini golf course and add new social gathering spaces and seating along the Links.
Meanwhile, the access panel has got all the funding it needs to improve disabled access to the beach.
Councillors said they faced “difficult decisions”, but praised the community groups for the strength of their projects.
