Funding For Regeneration Group

Councillors have agreed to spend £50,000 on looking into creating an organisation to improve a major Fife town.

Area Regeneration Kirkcaldy (ARK) would aim to renovate dilapidated buildings, clean and improve local sites, and help elderly people and private tenants with minor home repairs.

The money would come from the £81,1332 left in the Area Fairer Scotland Fund.

In a report to the local Area Committee, the move is recommended to encourage community
enterprise,with benefits through tailored community-based services that will support implementation of the Local Community Plan in neighbourhoods and throughout the
Area.

The independence of the organisation is expected to enable projects to be delivered faster and cheaper to communities and community groups, and to attract funding that only community-led organisations will have access to. 

ARK would initially work on developing around short-term practical projects such as:

• An environmental squad that would undertaking clearing and improving small sites identified by the local community. This would initially tie in with the Fife Works Programme
• A ‘handyman’ team that would do a variety of minor repairs for elderly and vulnerable people that were not social landlord tenants. This team could also do profit-generating work;
• A building squad that could refurbish dilapidated buildings and sell them on to provide capital for a rolling programme of building renovation while providing training opportunities, Or;
• an events support group that could help with galas and community events as well as organising more commercial events around the area. 

A feasibility study will now be undertaken on the development of of the body

Cllr Neil Crooks thinks that this has the potential to be an important and successful project that would promote community enterprise in a way that would help implement the Local Community Plan and create employability opportunities. He said: “The Kirkcaldy Area Local Community Plan has progressed well over the last two years. We have a number of projects now implemented but do need to address some of the issues that have emerged along the way.

“The expertise and independence of the organisation could enable projects to be delivered faster and cheaper to communities and community groups. It would also be able to draw funding that only community-led organisations have access to. All of this would contribute towards encouraging community enterprise that offers tailored community-based services and I look forward to seeing how this proposal develops.