Three West Lothian communities are among 14 in Scotland which will benefit from a £280 million regeneration fund announced by the Westminster government.
Fauldhouse, Whitburn and Blackburn will see £20m spent in the next 10 years under the new Pride in Place funding announced on Friday.
While councillors welcomed the money, there are concerns about how the money will be spent and who will decide where.
The SNP group leader Janet Campbell pointed out that the Chancellor had already taken £7m from the council by increasing National Insurance contributions.
Shortly before the fund was announced, Jim Henderson, the council’s Business Development Manager gave the Council Executive details of the plan. Though actual details of how the scheme will work were, and remain, opaque.
Locally appointed boards with at least one local councillor, community groups and the local MP will administer the funds.
These boards will decide on the projects to spend £2m a year on in the three communities starting in the Spring.
Councillor Craig Meek, a Labour councillor for Fauldhouse asked Mr Henderson:“How much influence would the council have in terms of recommending projects?
“That would be for the neighbourhood board to determine”, Mr Henderson replied.
Councillor Campbell told the meeting: “The UK government removed £7m from the council with its increase in National Insurance. It is handing a small portion back to unelected boards, possibly controlled by one person.
“It’s utterly undemocratic”.
Councillor Campbell pointed out that the funding was not “new money” saying it was re-proposed from existing regeneration programmes.
Lib Dem councillor Sally Pattle said she struggled: “to see how the money is given to the projects”.
“Will that be the council or will these neighbourhood boards be set up as SCIOs [certified charities] with their own bank accounts?”.
She added: “I am just a bit disappointed that it is such a strict criteria. It is disappointing that there’s so little flexibility. It doesn’t feel that we have the ability to shape anything that we are being dictated to.
“It’s a slightly wasted opportunity when we have such a great need in West Lothian for this level of investment. We could have done so much more.”
Councillor Pauline Stafford, the SNP group depute leader said: “It’s pretty shambolic and tokenist. A lot of talk and fanfare. I’m really worried about the governance of this funding.”
Depute council leader, Labour’s Councillor Susan Manion said she shared some of Councillor Pattle’s concerns, but as the plan emerged more flexibility seemed to be allowed.
She added: “We can only use this money if we link to development in place. We need to work with the setting up the boards to help them flourish and to ensure that it becomes part of overall community wealth building for that particular area.”
At the launch of the scheme Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said the money would benefit 14 of the “most in need” communities.
“Over decades of decline, people have watched as their neighbourhoods have lost their services and support,” he said.
“So now we are putting the power into the hands of local people who can decide how the money is spent.
“We’re investing directly in Scottish communities to build stronger, thriving neighbourhoods.”
The Pride in Place Programme will see the money shared over 10 years in areas with regeneration projects.
Neighbourhood boards with representatives from local communities will decide exactly what the investment will be spent on.
Projects are expected to include revitalising high streets and town centres, improving safety and security and preserving local heritage.
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
