About Us
The 9 Community Council Group (9CC Group) was formed from nine communities within the Cumnock and Doon Valley area.
Why we exist
The principal reason for the establishment of the 9CCG is to act as a prime point of contact to manage, administer and distribute a fair and equitable method of community benefit allocations from newly consented and future wind farm developments that will be located, predominately, within East Ayrshire’s Cumnock & Doon Valley Area.
Auchinleck
Cumnock
Netherthird
Cronberry, Logan & Lugar (CLL)
New Cumnock
Dalmellington
Patna
Drongan, Rankinston & Stair (DRS)
Ochiltree & Skares
Our Nine Community Councils
The 9CC Group believes that communities should have full control over the disbursement of community benefits. We also recognise that to deliver long-term regeneration, it is imperative that the disbursement of these community benefit monies are pooled and coordinated to deliver long-term legacy benefits.
The Area
This area has become a national hot spot for the construction of wind farm projects. The construction of so many wind schemes in and around the 9CCG area does not bring direct long terms jobs to the host communities. These wind farm developments will, however, have a long-lasting impact on landscapes.
Communities have accepted these developments on the basis that the delivery of significant community benefits offers the opportunity to invest in the much-needed regeneration of ALL of our 9CCG communities.
How we are making things happen…
The formation of the 9CCG aims to strengthen our community councils through increased participation, active citizenship and cross-membership with other local groups.
The 9CCG structure recognises the need and importance of good governance and the need to manage funds at a Strategic 9CCG-wide level AND at Local community levels. Significant effort and investment are currently underway to ensure that governance processes and structures are set up to ensure that funds will be properly allocated, managed and monitored.
How we will do this…
The members of the 9CC Group have developed a Local, Democratic, Transparent, Accountable, Fair and Equitable process and method of distributing community benefit funds from our local wind farm developments.
The will be 2 distinct methods of distributing community benefit monies as detailed below:
A | Local Community Fund
Direct Contributions to each of the INDIVIDUAL nine communities
Significant community benefit monies will be allocated to each of the individual 9 communities to specifically fund local projects and initiatives within their own community, by a method and process that demonstrates indicators such as Population, Distance from Turbines, SIMDs and Proximity of Significant Impact.
B | Strategic Area Fund (Currently Closed)
An allocation of the total community benefit monies will be used to fund and deliver “strategic legacy projects” as identified within the FIVE Priorities and Themes from our Strategic Plan and future community consultations.
