Online public meeting to discuss Buckie development trust bid
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BUCKIE residents are being invited to an online public meeting to discuss forming a development trust for the town.
The event is being run by Buckie Area Forum, the Community Monitoring Group of Buckie’s Local Outcome Improvement Plan and Buckie and District Community Council wish to invite you to a meeting to explore the possibility of setting up a Development Trust for Buckie.
A development trust is a community-owned and led organisation, working to combine community-led action with an enterprising approach to address and tackle local needs and issues. The aim is to create social, economic and environmental renewal in a defined geographical area, creating wealth within that area and keeping it there.
A number of potential benefits of auch a trust have been highlighted.
Owned and managed by the local community, it would independent and able to work in partnership with others in the private, public and third sectors.
A trust would be able to bid for funding not accessible by many existing local organisations or Moray Council and could manage projects which the likes of the Area Forum or Community Council would be unable to undertake.
Such a body would look to generate income through enterprise and ownership of assets and re-invest trading surpluses in the community while quickly responding to new opportunities when they arise.
By bringing groups together under the umbrella of a trust it help ensure a joined-up approach to activities and projects and maximise volunteers’ contribution by reducing duplication as well as providing a focus for organisations and individuals to work together to address issues of concern within the community.
In addition, it would provide a hub for holding and sharing community resources, skills and information
Forming a development trust could pave the way for employing a development officer for the town.
The meeting will take place by Zoom on Thursday, February 3, 7pm-9pm.
Lucy Espeland of the Development Trust Association of Scotland (DTAS) will be present to share the wealth of experience that DTAS has on Development Trusts and the support available to us.
To register an interest in attending, email abetterbuckie@gmail.com by Monday, January 31.
