Coastal cash?

The Coastal Cash hand-out announcement is nothing new and caused a bit of a spat back in July: "SNP anger at plan for Crown Estate handout " The SNP want to see all the Crown Estate cash raised in Scotland going to Holyrood.

Fast forward to 2012 however and Danny gets a mention in the Groat web site. There's going to be £3.9 million available in the fund, "The Costal Communities Fund". This fund is UK wide and will be worth 50 per cent of the gross revenues from the Crown Estate’s marine activities, there's more information here on this government web page published in July more information on this web page here. That's a treasury press release page dated 11 July of last year.

According to that web page it looks like the Highlands were in for £1.85 million being 50% of what the Crown Estate revenues. The Groat quotes a figure of £3.9 million however. It looks like the paper is quoting the total figure for Scotland?

Again according to the Groat: "Community and social enterprise groups, charities and social businesses seeking funds for an array of potential projects, which could include renewables and skills development, could be eligible."

Nairn being a coastal community and in the Highlands perhaps we should start getting our thinking caps on as to how we could get a chunk of that cash? Three community councils working together perhaps to do something with the old Police Station/tourist office? Perhaps NICEafarians might have some thoughts that might attract cash? It's worth being on standby perhaps? Maybe some alert souls out there are already ready with a bid? Groat article here.

For more information on the controversy of Crown Estate cash and how it is spent, Gurnites might like to read what Andy Wightman has to say.