Question reference: S5W-02315
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 5 September 2016
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Current status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 September 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing funding for charitable trusts to carry out maintenance on public walkways.
Answer
A variety of funding sources are available for charitable trusts and other bodies to upgrade and carry out maintenance on public footpaths.
Grants to support the costs of the maintenance of urban public amenity areas in existing woodlands are available under the ‘Sustainable Management of Forests – Public Access’ option under the Woods In and Around Towns scheme, which is part of the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP). Details can be found at the following link: https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-schemes/forestry-grant-scheme/sustainable-management-of-forests/public-access-woods-in-and-around-towns/.
In addition, the improving public access fund, which is part of the SRDP Agri-Environment-Climate Scheme, aims to support new and upgraded paths for public use: (https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-schemes/agri-environment-climate-scheme/management-options-and-capital-items/improving-public-access/).
Scottish Natural Heritage has provided funding to support Paths for All to run a community grant scheme and Volunteering Matters to run an ‘Action Earth’ grants scheme. The Paths for All Community Paths Grants scheme is now closed for 2016 but offered up to £1,500 to help community groups maintain, as well as improve and promote, their local community paths: (http://www.pathsforall.org.uk/pfa/support/community-path-grants.html).
‘Action Earth’ grants range from £50 to £250 (up to £500 on a Local Nature Reserve) to purchase tools and materials or to cover volunteer expenses, for practical activities that involve volunteers in improving outdoor spaces: (http://www.communityscot.org.uk/news/article/action-earth-grab-grant/).