‘Your Police, You Decide' – Caithness residents urged to vote

People living in Caithness are being asked to vote for local projects and organisations to receive a share of funding which will make a difference to the local area.

18 groups which aim to improve safety and wellbeing in Caithness have applied for a share of £32,000 thanks to an initiative launched by Police Scotland and Caithness Voluntary Group. The Scottish Government is providing the funding as part of a project to strengthen local democracy, ensuring that communities can participate in decisions affecting their local areas.

A steering group from the local community was set up earlier this year to design the whole approach and review the applications, and voting opened on November 25. It will close at 10pm on Sunday, December 18. Applicants with the most votes will receive a share of the funding. Projects will receive their funding before the end of 2022.

Voting is easy and you can take part online at this link: ideas.scotland.police.uk/your-police-you-decide-caithness-public-vote

Divisional commander chief superintendent Conrad Trickett has welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with communities, strengthening the collective response to "some of our most pressing challenges including poor mental health and drug and alcohol use".

He said: ”Understanding the concerns of communities in Caithness is at the heart of community policing. This participatory budget goes the next step and asks communities to both identify problems and design and find solutions, helping to ensure that everyone can live in vibrant and safer communities.

“I very much celebrate this innovative approach to working with communities in Caithness.”

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.