Scottish Ministers have agreed that North Ayrshire’s coastal communities will receive £118,852 of revenue generated by the Scottish Crown Estate’s marine assets over 2018/19.
Allocations will be paid by the end of July 2020, providing vital support for responding to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).
This is a 35% increase on the £88,162.57 allocated by Scottish Ministers to North Ayrshire Council to distribute in 2019/20.
The funding is allocated to local authority areas which have coastlines, with funding based on their share of the adjacent sea area.
The scope of the fund has been broadened this year in response to COVID-19, with local authorities now able to directly support businesses, including third sector organisations, affected by the pandemic.
Land Reform Secretary Roseanna Cunningham MSP said:
“COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on communities across the country and particularly those people and businesses living and working in our coastal areas, which are often reliant on tourism. That is why we have widened the remit of these funds to include direct support, where necessary, to coastal businesses and third sector organisations.
“We have also worked to allocate this year’s funding as swiftly as possible to enable local authorities to help these organisations through the economic shock caused by the pandemic, and direct resource to where it is most needed in support of a wellbeing economy.”
“This year’s funding is a significant increase on the revenue which was allocated from the Scottish Crown Estate to local authority areas in the first year of this funding coming under devolved management. It will greatly help our coastal areas as we embark on a challenging period of recovery from the pandemic for all parts of our economy.”
Kenneth Gibson MSP said:
“The coronavirus has had a particularly hard impact on coastal communities in particular, and this significant increase in funding coming at the end of the month will be more than welcome.
“Given the circumstances, the Cabinet Secretary had already announced in April that any funding remaining from the £88,162.57 allocated to North Ayrshire last July to £118,852 could be used to support businesses and third sector organisations impacted by COVID-19.”
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