Support employment

In my experience, the funds used were not allowed to create employment opportunities or fund jobs. The community benefits funded were transient, feel good, opportunites with no lasting impact. I realise that funding jobs directly can be difficult to manage but jobs and economic expansion in rural areas is what is needed, not more funded social events. Find a way to do this.

Why the contribution is important

The community benefit fund is a way of shifting corporate profits to deprived and struggling communities on the periphery of the country - something that government should do but hasn't got the money for. So make it useful and boost rural areas through sustainable investment in the economy. Economic investment is the only thing that will keep the rural populations in place.

by Oneup on March 13, 2026 at 01:25PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.2
Based on: 5 votes

Comments

  • Posted by LoreineatBingera March 17, 2026 at 15:11

    I agree that Community Benefit Funding could be used for funding new local jobs but I would also suggest that local businesses could be approached to use some community benefit funding to establish apprenticeships to support locally based businesses to expand/diversify.

    I would also suggest that CBF could be used to promote and develop local 'green' jobs such as Environment Rangers, Biodiversity/Wildlife specialists who could promote, protect, enhance the local countryside by applying new 'green' technologies.

  • Posted by LeanK March 20, 2026 at 10:28

    There are examples such as Connect2 Renewables in South Lanarkshire funded by Community Benefits funding where flexible employability skills, training and job support are funded across a wide geography area Strathaven to Leadhills covering over 18 villages. The programme works with individuals in the area to provide what they need to help boost there skills, training or work experience also works with employers to match and train individuals. This is in addition to Government and Local Authority funded programmes and tackles core rural issues such as rural poverty and provides strategic long term impact for communities. this is the type of strategic benefit joined up partnership working can provide in areas and moves beyond community infrastructure projects.
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