This additional funding will help support the work and activities of Blantyre Futures, the Blantyre Miners Welfare Charity, the Terminal One youth project, Third Blantyre Community Group Scouts and the female wellness treatment studio Soul Skin Social Enterprise.

Funding for the investment is a result of the administration budget passed by the Council earlier this year, with an additional £50,000 allocated to each of the 20 council wards. Councillors in each ward were asked to come up with proposals for how the new Local Action Fund should be spent, with final decisions to be taken by the Executive Committee.

The first proposals were unanimously agreed at a meeting of the Executive Committee.

The councillors representing Blantyre agreed to split funding between these local groups:

• Blantyre Futures (£5,000)
• Blantyre Miners Welfare Charity (£5,000)
• Terminal One (£28,170)
• Third Blantyre Community Group Scouts (£10,000)
• Soul Skin Social Enterprise (£1,830)

Council Leader Joe Fagan said: “The Local Action Fund was agreed as part of our Building Back Budget and is designed to help each community with projects that might not cost a lot of money but can have a lasting and worthwhile impact for everyone who lives there.

“Local councillors will be able to gauge from their constituents where the money could be best spent, and I am delighted that we have agreement for how the money should be spent in 13 of the 20 council wards, with the others to follow in due course.

“The projects in Blantyre will benefit everyone in the local community.”

The elected members for Blantyre, Ward 15, are Councillor Maureen Chalmers, Councillor Mo Razzaq and Councillor Bert Thomson.