Proposals by North Ayrshire Labour to set up a high street buyout fund to tackle privately owned vacant and derelict sites in North Ayrshire to regenerate communities has been rejected.
The call came from Councillor Nairn McDonald, who told Thursday's Audit and Scrutiny Committee: “Labour introduced the place- based framework project to secure external funding to bring derelict land back to use.
“The biggest issues in our high streets is the blight of derelict sites. We argue we must move into delivery of these projects.”
They asked to:
- Remove the following from the Placed based projects: Saltcoats Place Framework (£70k), Largs Place Framework (£70k), Kilwinning Place Framework (£70k), Future Years Project Development (£40k).
- Reduce the following in the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund: Development work to £160k.
- Replace with: £410k to create a new High Street Buyout Fund to deliver a Community Wealth Building approach to town centre regeneration, aimed at bringing privately owned derelict sites into Council or community ownership.
SNP Cabinet member Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Economy and Climate Change argued his party had a more direct way of sorting sites needing regeneration.
He said: “This call-in actually removes funds from delivery - £70,000 of development from Saltcoats, £70,000 of development from Largs and £70,000 of development funds from Kilwinning.
“We have a list of projects fully identified when/if money becomes available as if often does then they can come to us and we can point to projects.
“If they give us money we will go ahead and get it done. We have done this again and again with housing and now we want to do it with this kind of model.”
Speaking after the meeting councillor Gurney said: "I am delighted that this much needed injection of cash will still be going to fund developments in Saltcoats, Largs and Kilwinning.
"The priorities were identified in a previous consultation by the residents of the town. It would be extremely odd to carry out a consultation but to then not follow up with direct action.
"In that context it is doubly odd that the call in chose to support the next stage of consultation in the Garnock Valley despite Labour councillors being adamant that no money should be spent on their own towns following the consultation process.
"I am also delighted that our plans to develop a programme of shovel-ready projects in all our towns is progressing, ensuring that we are able to take immediate advantage of future funding opportunities.
"I am happy that the committee supported our plans and the people of the affected towns."
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