Development of ACE Schemes

2 Ocotber 2002

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s highly successful ACE Option and ACE Challenge Fund Schemes are to be improved by removing the need for projects to be developed in association with residential areas and by increasing the maximum level of grant available under the Challenge Fund to £30k.

This will make it easier for communities to develop environmental and amenity projects and the increased amount of grant available will allow communities to consider more ambitious projects.

The ACE Grants scheme was set up in September 2000 as a means of providing community groups with funding for environmental and amenity improvement projects. A range of projects throughout the islands have gone ahead under the scheme.

Until now projects have been slightly restricted because the scheme came under Housing legislation, limiting grants to projects providing amenity and environmental improvements only when developed in association with residential areas. However, the scheme is now transferring to the Environmental Services Committee providing an opportunity to revise the rules.

Environmental Services Chairman Angus Nicolson said: “These schemes are a great success story and we now have the opportunity to build on that success. The extension will enable a greater amount of projects to qualify and the increase in the maximum level of grant available means communities can be more ambitious in the projects they submit.”

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Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 01851 706412 (Home)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk