Moray Council gives The Link, located in Southfield Drive in New Elgin, £17.5k to extend lease
The council has approved an additional £17,500 of funding to extend the lease of a popular community hub for a further six months.
The Link, located on Southfield Drive in New Elgin, opened in November 2024 following months of collaboration between residents, the Moray Pathways Local Employability Partnership and the New Elgin Community Plan.
At a full council meeting yesterday, Wednesday, June 25, councillors agreed to extend funding after a detailed report highlighted the early success of the space and a need for continued support while longer-term funding is pursued.
So far, The Link has hosted regular drop-in sessions, family activities, youth creative arts programmes, craft groups, and holiday events.
More than 230 people attended the grand opening event last year, and engagement has continued to grow, with more than a dozen local volunteers now helping to run the hub. The approved funding will keep the hub open until March 2026.
Meanwhile, a proposal for longer-term support - covering an additional two years - has been submitted to the Elgin Neighbourhood Fund. A decision on that funding is expected later this year.
The hub is also working towards becoming a registered charity, with plans underway to establish a formal constitution.
This will allow the steering group to apply for further funding and secure the long-term sustainability of the project.
Moray Council leader, Cllr Kathleen Robertson, said: “It’s clear that The Link has been successful so far, and the work of the volunteers there should be commended.
“I am pleased that we have been able to keep this momentum going while longer-term options are explored.”
