EAST Renfrewshire is set to receive almost £1million as part of a new Scottish Government fund to help boost town centres.

The payout has been earmarked from the £50m Town Centre Fund, which has been set up in partnership with local authority umbrella organisation Cosla.

It is hoped the money will help to make high streets more diverse, sustainable and successful in the face of changing and evolving retail patterns.

Council chiefs will be asked to allocate the funding, worth £981,000, in line with the themes of a town centre action plan.

One way in which the money could be spent is the repurposing of empty buildings for housing or social and community enterprises.

Speaking as he announced the launch of the fund, Economy Secretary Derek Mackay, who is also the MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, said: “Town centres across Scotland are facing challenges in adapting to a changing retail climate.

"It is important that we help them to diversify and adjust to overcome these challenges.

“I want to make sure we can keep life in our high streets and ensure they continue to be thriving places for communities to live, work and enjoy.

“This fund, which East Renfrewshire will receive £981,000 from, will enable local authorities to stimulate and support a wide range of investments which will encourage town centres to diversify and flourish and create an increase in footfall through local improvements and partnerships.

“It is part of a wider boost to the economy through providing more than £5billion of capital investment to grow and modernise Scotland’s infrastructure and a wider package of support to businesses, including maintaining a competitive business rates package and providing the most generous package of non-domestic rates reliefs anywhere in the UK.”

Councillor Steven Heddle, Cosla's environment and economy spokesperson, has welcomed the funding.

He said: “Local economic development drives so much of the other vital things that councils do on behalf of our communities.

"This was a message we promoted as part of our essential services campaign ahead of this year’s budget. We were clear that inclusive growth must be supported through investment in local government.

“We welcome this investment in our towns and we will continue to work with the Scottish Government on our shared priority of inclusive growth and growing Scotland’s economy.”