A CLASSIC car rally and numerous Riding of the Marches events will be back strong again in Annandale and Eskdale this year thanks to a welcome cash injection.
Moffat Classic Car Rally, which is set to take place on Sunday, June 29, is to be handed a boost of £1207 to support the event and stage a civic reception.
Meanwhile, around £23,500 is to be divvied up between various Riding of the Marches events in the area, which will help fund entertainment, venue hires, ceremonial activities and civic receptions.
It has recently been confirmed that a total of £87,269 has been made available in Annandale and Eskdale Area Committee’s discretionary budget for 2025/26 to support community events.
Councillors held a seminar on March 18 to consider spending priorities in detail.
A report, which will be tabled at Annandale and Eskdale Area Committee next week, states: “There was broad consensus at the seminar that a small number of key civic events and initiatives should continue to be supported, and funding ring fenced for these purposes.
“Furthermore, members expressed a desire to retain individual ward member budgets to allow small grants to be made across a variety of local priorities.”
At the committee meeting next Wednesday, councillors will be asked to delegate power to the ward officer, Jaime Nicholson, to authorise payments to the organisers behind community events.
They will also be asked to approve the list of spending priorities, which include Christmas lights and festivities: Annan £8660, Eastriggs £1290, Langholm £8054, Lockerbie £5370, Gretna £4025, Lochmaben £3540, and Moffat £700.
The remaining recommended allocations are: sporting grants for athletes – £6326; Annan Gala and Riding of the Marches event – £10,063; Lockerbie Gala and Riding of the Marches event – £6926; Lochmaben Gala and Riding of the Marches – £2,538; Moffat Gala and Riding of the Marches – £3732; Gretna Gala and Riding of the Marches – £500; Langholm Common Riding Civic Receptions – £572; Moffat Classic Car Rally Event and Civic Reception – £1207; council’s roads service to fund costs associated with these events (barrier hire, signage, road closures and clean-ups etc) – £7500; member individual capital awards, small grant scheme of up to £1000 managed by community planning – £16,228; and £40 to provide a wreath on behalf of the area committee to commemorate the Lockerbie Air Disaster.
