'Have your say Highland' consultation launched to seek views on the delivery of area-based funds with councillor Ken Gowans, chairman of the economy and infrastructure committee, stressing the importance of taking part
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Highland Council is asking people's views on how they would like to see area-based funds spent.
The community engagement exercise will seek to establish which types of community projects should be prioritised in local areas.
The regional authority is responsible for the delivery of several external funding streams which are devolved to area committee level where possible.
Councillor Ken Gowans, chairman of the council’s economy and infrastructure committee, is urging people to take part in the consultation.
"Highland is home to diverse communities, each with their own unique aspirations and challenges, and an amazingly strong community and voluntary sector,” Cllr Gowans said.
“Making funding streams available at a local level recognises this diversity and allows for locally appropriate solutions to be developed and supported.
“This consultation is a chance for communities to tell us what is important to them so that funds can be directed where they are needed most.”
The community consultation began on August 3 and will end on August 31, with the survey accessed at www.engagehighland.co.uk
"The last few years have presented new challenges and, as ever, in Highland communities have come to the fore in developing innovative projects that help to alleviate these challenges,” Cllr Gowans said.
“We want to hear about what is important to you and what you want to see the funds in your area directed to for the coming year.
“The consultation has been designed to be user friendly and I hope people of all ages will take this opportunity to have a say in how money is spent in their area."
The consultation is being run by the council’s community regeneration team who will also be contacting third sector organisations across Highland to provide them with a consultation toolkit to run their own engagement sessions.
Information gathered through the overall consultation will inform how funds such as the Highland Council Coastal Communities Fund and the Place Based Investment Programme are delivered over the next year.
By making the results of the work publicly available, it is hoped the survey will become a useful evidence base for community groups applying for the funding.
For further information contact Highland Council at communityregenerationfund@highland.gov.uk
