East Ayrshire Council finance boss says groups need to rein in expectations over support

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Groups seeking support from East Ayrshire Council will have to rein in their expectations amid the financial crisis, according to its top financial official.The cabinet was discussing the progress being made with the council's community wealth building commitments, where it takes a proactive approach to improving the economy of local communities.SNP Councillor, Elaine Cowan, had asked that the council work more transparently and ensure groups seeking support know exactly what support is available.Chief Finance Officer, Joe McLachlan, told cabinet that, traditionally, the support available included both the initial support for a project followed by recurring grant funding.He explained that the financial constraints facing the council meant that this approach had to change, with emphasis now on the initial support and ensuring that both those receiving support and the council know their own 'obligations'.Mr McLachlan said: "That sharing of obligations is on what is expected of the group and what the council can and cannot provide."We know through some of most recent projects that we have additional piece of work to ensure that there is due diligence, in terms of expectations on the council and also the confidence that, once a project has moved through to the operational stage, it does have the legs to go forwards.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with the sections that matter to you.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now on iOS and Android."They are still