A Community on the up in danger of being beaten back down

I visited one of many community groups facing extinction in my ward because of a lack of clarity about future funding.

The Piershill Community flat has almost single-handedly turned round an area with a very negative reputation to one where people are wanting now to stay.

Trouble is the flat is funded through the NHS who are struggling to make ends meet and although they are perfect candidate for Community regeneration Funding, that valuable pot of cash seems to be be rapidly shrinking. John Swinney's announcements seems to suggest that it has been reduced by a three quarters and that its priorities are changing.

Despite this these folk were full of hope and enthusiasm and we talked through all the possibilities of how they might get funding. It does seem galling however that they have to scrabble about for cash when those who could fund them see them as extras yet everything they do saves the state money.