SCOTLAND: Extra funding for community waste initiatives

12.00.00am GMT Thu 8th Jan 2004

A further £1 million funding for community sector waste initiatives was announced today. This follows last October's announcement of a new funding scheme of £2.5 million per year in 2004-05 and 2005-06.

The temporary funding will safeguard existing community based projects and ensure a smooth transition to new support arrangements due to come into effect later this year.

Environment Minister Ross Finnie said:

"The Executive is committed to delivering more sustainable use of valuable resources too often squandered as waste.

"The community sector plays a significant role in delivering the National Waste Strategy objectives of reducing, reusing and recycling waste and raising awareness.

"To ensure that valuable work already being delivered by the community sector continues, this £1 million fund will run for up to a year. It is aimed at existing sustainable waste management projects which have previously received support through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.

"We are keen to see community initiatives delivered on a more sustainable basis. From this year, new projects will be eligible to apply to the £2.5 million 'Strategic Waste Fund: Community Sector."

Iain Gulland, Chair of the Community Recycling Network Scotland added:

"CRNS are pleased that measures are being taken to enable deserving projects to continue uninterrupted as arrangements for future funds are put in place. We look forward to working with the Executive and the groups concerned in developing community sector activity over the coming years."

The temporary fund announced today will be administered on the Executive's behalf by ENTRUST. Projects which consider they may be eligible for temporary fund support should register their interest by January 30, 2004 with ENTRUST: Acre House, 2 Town Square, SALE, Cheshire, M33 7WZ jimgraham@entrust.org.uk.

The "Strategic Waste Fund: Community Sector (temporary support)" will run for no more than one year. The administrative costs of the temporary scheme will be borne separately by the Executive and will not come out of the £1 million allocated to projects. Funding for this programme is coming out of consequentials received by the Executive following changes to the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.