Sandra Osborne calls for Funding Boost for Scottish Seaside Towns

Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock MP Sandra Osborne has called on the Scottish Government to inject specific funding into the regeneration of seaside towns following the announcement of a £45 million pounds funding boost for coastal resorts in England.

She said:

‘ I have been a member of the All Party Seaside Towns Group at Westminster for years and we have been working to get a strategy to deal with the downturn in many seaside towns as holiday patterns have changed over the years often to the detriment of coastal areas.
Public investment in cultural projects and public spaces can give a huge kick-start to local regeneration and it can also unlock additional funding to help restore decaying infrastructure and boost economic growth. By increasing opportunity and enhancing the local environment it can significantly improve the quality of life for residents as well as attracting more visitors. The west coast of Scotland would benefit greatly from such a fund and indeed both Girvan and Ayr already have proposals worked out – all we need is the funding.
The money for England is part of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review and Scotland receives its share of that extra funding through the block grant according to the Barnet formula. I am therefore calling on the Scottish Government to set up a similar scheme for Scotland with the support of my MSP colleague Cathy Jamieson.’

Cathy Jamieson MSP added:
“I’ve been campaigning for additional resources to help regenerate town centres.  Sandra Osborne is absolutely right to seek a share of the money allocated by the UK government to benefit our local area.  I intend to raise this in Parliament.”