The CLDSC submitted a response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on a replacement funding vehicle for the current EU “Structural funds” – the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund. Scotland benefits from over £780m under the current 2014-2020 programme, and key aspects of both the existing EU priorities and those that the Scottish Government is considering relate closely to CLD interests and activities.
The CLDSC response benefited from contributions by members with direct experience of applying for and using the Structural Funds. It argued that a future funding programme should:
- Have a strong focus on community capacity building and active citizenship in support of the Inclusive Scotland policy objective;
- Support community-led local development, enabling and empowering people to drive change locally, with recognition of the support needed for this to happen;
- Strengthen the connections between economic and social objectives and activities.
Information on the use of structural funds in Scotland, and issues on post-Brexit replacement funding, is available in this SPICe (Scottish Parliament Information Centre) briefing: https://sp-bpr-en-prod-cdnep.azureedge.net/published/2019/4/10/EU-Structural-Funds-in-Scotland/SB%2019-19.pdf
Information about the consultation (which is now closed) is available on the Scottish Government website – https://consult.gov.scot/economic-development/replacement-of-european-structural-funds/