Highland Council town centre funding: FOI release

Information requested

I should be grateful to receive all information relating to the following particularly in relation to Highland Council -

1. Town Centre Funding e.g. what its main purpose was - retrofitting empty buildings and derelict properties.

2. Place Based Investment Funding, e.g. what its main purpose was - small individual community projects or could the funding be used for more significant town improvements.

3. Confirmation that Place Based Investment Funding replaces Town Centre Funding and when this came into effect.

4. Details of the Place Based Investment Programme as distinct from Place Based Investment Funding.

Response

1. There have been two separate town centre specific funds issued by Scottish Government. The Town Centre Fund issued in March 2019 to enable local authorities to stimulate and support place based economic investments which encourage town centres to diversify and flourish, creating footfall through local improvements and partnerships. Specifically this fund aimed to contribute to transformative investments which drive local economic activities and repurpose town centres to become more diverse, successful and sustainable.

In particular this grant will fund a wide range of investments which deliver against the themes of the Town Centre Action Plan including town centre living and supporting town centres to be vibrant, accessible and enterprising places. This could include re-purposing buildings for housing, retail, business, social and community enterprise, services, leisure, and culture, tourism and heritage; and, improving access and infrastructure.

In September 2020 The Scottish Government agreed with COSLA and local authority leaders that local authorities be provided with a Town Centre Capital Grant Fund. The aim of this additional fund was to stimulate local construction activity and support employment across Scotland, and local authorities should ensure that this is prioritised in investment decisions. Funding therefore could support the redevelopment of listed buildings, to develop long term vacant and derelict town centre sites, and to redevelop vacant town centre properties but is not solely restricted to such usage.

2. There is no Place Based Investment Fund as such. There is a Place Based Investment Programme part of which the Scottish Government with COSLA and local authority leaders agreed should be directed to local authorities. Highland Council received an agreed distribution amount of £1.963 million in 2021/22 and £1.704 million in 2022/23. In principle they will receive an amount of £1.187 million for each of the following years, 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26.

This will be for local authorities to allocate, working collaboratively with local communities, along with business and the third and public sectors, to support shared local plans and aspirations. It is expected that local authorities make investment decisions that accelerate our ambitions for place, 20-minute neighbourhoods, town centre action, community led regeneration and community wealth building. The funding is also expected to contribute to net zero, wellbeing and inclusive economic development, tackling inequality and disadvantage including child poverty, and community involvement and ownership, including the repurposing of buildings, maintenance and repairs, reallocating external space and community led land acquisition. It will also create opportunities to work in partnership with other funding programmes and coordinate these at a local level alongside other local authority programmes and plans. Local authorities should make use of tools and support developed by the Scottish Government and other key partners. Local Authorities will wish to consider how this investment may support their contribution to delivering reductions in Child Poverty as part of their statutory commitment and reporting.

In practice this means that consideration will be given to how place based investments align with other planned investments in the locality in order to streamline delivery and increase impact. Consideration will also need to be given to addressing the core questions which will be set out in the Place Based Investment Framework to ensure that the investment is relevant to the needs of the locality, fits with other local actions and provides a basis for collaboration with partners.

3. Town Centre Funds as described above and the Place Based Investment Programme are separate with separate dates and aims. They are not therefore direct replacements for one another, however learning from the earlier Town Centre Funds has been reflected in the later Place Based Investment Programme direct allocation to local authorities.

4. The aim of the Place Based Investment Programme is to ensure that all place based investments are shaped by the needs and aspirations of local communities and accelerate our ambitions for place, 20- minute neighbourhoods, town centre action, community led regeneration and community wealth building.
The main objectives of the programme are:

• to link and align place based initiatives and establish a coherent local framework to implement the Place Principle;
• to support place policy ambitions such as town centre revitalisation, community led regeneration, 20 minute neighbourhoods and Community Wealth Building;
• to ensure that all place based investments are shaped by the needs and aspirations of local communities;
• to accelerate our ambitions for net zero, wellbeing and inclusive economic development, tackling inequality and disadvantage, community involvement and ownership.

The programme aims to invest in centres or neighbourhoods connected with two categories of settlement.
1. Rural settings with smaller populations, dependent on larger geographical areas for support, for example :

• Small Towns with a limited range of non-specialised facilities;
• Villages with very limited, or non-existent, access to facilities.

2. Urban settings with sizeable populations, for example :

• Regional Capitals with extensive provision supporting a wide geographical area;
• Larger Towns with a comprehensive range of dedicated services and facilities.
• Individual Neighbourhoods with limited access to relevant local provision

The Place Based Investment Programme is being backed with an initial £325 million capital over this Parliament, 2021-2022 to 2025-2026, and will be used to link and align place-based funding initiatives, helping to tackle inequalities and support inclusive economic development in disadvantaged and fragile remote communities across Scotland. The Place Based Investment Programme includes the continued delivery of the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund as well as Place Based Investment Programme funding to local government, and our ongoing sponsorship of Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company.

Details pertaining to the that part of the Place Based Investment Programme that the Scottish Government with COSLA and local authority leaders agreed should be directed to local authorities is included above in response to question 2.

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