'˜Give us a fair share of cash'

A councillor has complained Cumbernauld is losing out to Kilsyth when it comes to receiving Local Area Partnership (LAP) funding for community projects.
Cumbernauld East councillor Tom JohnstonCumbernauld East councillor Tom Johnston
Cumbernauld East councillor Tom Johnston

The most recent meeting of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth LAP received a report updating it on progress in the Local Development Programme for 2016/17 and 2017/18 and to stimulate discussion for potential 2018/19 projects.

Cumbernauld East councillor Tom Johnston was upset to find that projects worth £230,000 were listed for the Kilsyth ward, while the three Cumbernauld wards (North, South and East) are due to receive a combined £430,000 despite having more than four times the electorate.

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He believes Cumbernauld is not getting a fair share of funding and has written to North Lanarkshire Council’s head of education (south) Lizanne McMurrich to share his grievance.

Councillor Johnston wrote in his letter: “The Kilsyth ward, with 19 per cent of the Local Area Partnership electorate, is receiving 35 per cent of geographically identified funding for local community projects.

“However, Cumbernauld, with 81 per cent of the electorate receives only 65 per cent of the funding.

“What steps does the council propose, through the Local Area Committee, to move towards redressing this considerable imbalance?”

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Councillor Johnston has previously raised this matter at each of the last two meetings of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth LAP.

Councillor Johnston said: “I can accept some weighting of projects towards deprived areas and small communities with distinct village identities.

“However, deprivation equally exists in parts of Cumbernauld and there are distinct village-type communities within the New Town area.

“The imbalance against Cumbernauld has gone too far; the Kilsyth ward is now receiving double the share of the three Cumbernauld wards.”