Our Executive Committee has approved a report to review the current Local Festival Grant Scheme and consider future provision of the Scheme from 2024/25 onwards
Currently, 29 Festivals across the Borders are provided with an annual grant to support insurance costs and public protection measures.
The review
The review of the Local Festival Grant Scheme which will be carried out in advance of 2024/25 budget planning, will involve stakeholders of the Scheme to ensure the options presented are reflective of the needs of local communities, balanced with the level of resources available.
To ensure the continuity of grants while the review is undertaken, it is proposed that grants are issued as normal for 2023/24.
The Executive Committee also approved the establishment of a short-life Member/Officer Working Group to undertake the review and report back to the Executive Committee. The Working Group will include an Elected Member from each of the five localities.
The current scheme was due for renewal in 2017 but it was agreed to extend the existing scheme whilst further work was undertaken in relation to public liability and insurance. Cavalcade festivals have experienced an increase in their public liability and insurance costs and as a result, some committees have requested that additional funding assistance be provided from ourselves to help them cover costs.
Councillor Scott Hamilton, Executive Member for Community and Business Development
“It’s really important to recognise how significant these local festivals are to communities and the local economy and in order to enable them to take place, they require the funds and support to do so.
“A review of the current scheme is well overdue and because of the increased challenges that some festivals are highlighting, as well as some newer festivals requesting support, a review will be carried out over the summer months to consider changes to the scheme from April 2024. This will allow full consideration of the findings of the review as part of the budget setting process for 2024/25.
In carrying out the review there will be wide engagement with all stakeholders and a key part of the review and the support going forward will be focussed on the sustainability of these local festivals and ideas on this will be sought through the engagement process”.
Find out more about the application process for the Local Festival Grant Scheme