£4m more funding agreed for marina

AN additional £4 million of funding has been approved for the Stranraer Marina project. At a full council meeting last Thursday, councillors agreed to the funding boost, which will go towards the project to progress it to the crucial Full Business Case (FBC) stage. The marina project is a cornerstone of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal and requires further investment to complete detailed design and gain necessary approvals, paving the way for its completion. Dumfries and Galloway Council is required to fund these initial development costs, which are expected to be partially recouped from government contributions once the FBC is approved. Speaking at Thursday’s meeting, Stranraer and the Rhins Cllr Andrew Giusti said: “I’m glad that we’re raising this again today, we need to make sure that money is spent in Stranraer expediently. The people are getting frustrated, they want to see the boots on the ground, they want to see the shovels in the sand, and we’re at a fork in the road here - we need to get this done. We need to show that we’re actually doing the work and we’re not just a talking shop.” However, during the meeting there was a lengthy discussion between councillors and officers about a promised investment of £6 million from the Scottish Government to go towards the regeneration of Stranraer. Councillor Archie Dryburgh moved an additional recommendation on behalf of Labour, noting the commitment made by the Scottish Government in April 2016 to provide £6 million in standalone funding for the regeneration of Stranraer’s waterfront, separate from the Borderlands deal. He said: “This isn’t just about the marina—it’s about showing that Stranraer matters. That Wigtownshire is not forgotten. That commitments made are commitments kept. “The First Minister needs to confirm when the £6 million will finally reach Stranraer.” The motion was passed unanimously and it was agreed that leader Cllr Stephen Thompson would write to the First Minister regarding the £6m promised investment.