Angus residents have given a lukewarm reaction to how a million-pound community cash pot should be spent on sprucing up the area’s town centres.
With the consultation deadline now passed for the Town Centre Fund scheme, council chiefs have said that while some “exciting” ideas have come forward, they would like to have seen more local feedback.
The £1.08m windfall is the Angus share of £50m made available to councils across Scotland to support town centres under an action plan aimed at increasing trade, encouraging town centre living and enhancing community empowerment.
Councillors embarked on the consultation at the end of June.
The cash distribution will see Arbroath receive £312,000, Brechin £94k, Carnoustie £148K, Forfar £184k, Kirriemuir £77k, Monifieth £107k and Montrose £156k.
Communities are also now in a race against time since the rules require projects to be completed by September next year, or the money must be handed back.
The consultation offered up a range of possible projects in the seven burghs, with the public invited to add their own ideas into the mix.
They included ideas centred around two major 2020 milestones – the 700th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath and the 200th anniversary of Brechin Cathedral.
Forfar’s West Port could be a target for £150,000 worth of improvements, while in Carnoustie an underpass leading to the golf course and beach has been highlighted as an area for upgrading.
Other suggestions included a £20k upgrade of Kirriemuir public toilets and a six-figure improvement programme centred around the historic closes of Montrose.
An Angus Council spokesperson said, “Response rates to the Town Centre Fund consultation has varied from location to location and we have engaged with over 4,100 residents leaving 491 comments or suggestions.
“While we would have liked more people to have participated and given their ideas, some of the ideas that have been proposed offer exciting possibilities to make a real impact in our towns.
“We are currently analysing the responses from the consultation and a final report with recommendations as to which projects should be taken forward will go to September’s full council meeting.”
