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The establishment of the five pilots was a commitment in the Scottish Government's ASB Framework published last year. The objectives of each of the pilots include:

    * To bring diverse people together and support community cohesion
    * To promote empowerment of individuals and communities
    * To promote active citizenship to create better public services

The local authority involved in each pilot will match-fund the Government's investment, effectively doubling the awards. The local authority areas are Fife, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire, Shetland Islands and Stirling.

Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing said that the Community Wellbeing Champions Initiative helped show that those who live in communities blighted by problems of antisocial behaviour are often best placed to suggest solutions.

Mr Ewing said:

"Antisocial behaviour is a visible symptom of deep-rooted problems such as lack of opportunity and the effects of drink, drugs and deprivation. Such behaviour can bring misery to people living in our communities.

"I believe strongly that it is decent people in those communities who hold the key for turning things round. That is why I am delighted to announce funding for these projects - all of them chosen because they involve local residents deciding priorities for action and resources.

"Whether it is, for example, a community led health project in Auchtermuchty or a community association in Shetland, all of these projects have demonstrated that they have what it takes to deliver on shared objectives - and to deliver a safer, stronger Scotland."

Councillor Harry McGuigan, COSLA spokesperson for Community Wellbeing and Safety said:

"The Community Wellbeing Champions Initiative will champion the role of local elected members in overseeing the engagement and empowerment of communities afflicted by high levels of antisocial behaviour or other community safety issues to develop effective local solutions to local problems.

"This initiative will contribute to making our local communities safer and more cohesive to prevent antisocial behaviour. As such, I look forward to the establishment of this initiative in the five selected pilot areas."

Local authorities were invited to submit applications for funding late last year. Each local authority will receive the amount it applied for. The successful projects are described below:

Fife Community Safety Partnership - £15,000

The pilot will enable Fife to develop projects in the Glenrothes area, based on the needs and preferences of local people. Participatory budgeting will use both existing methods of community engagement used by the police and council, community profile information and new means of getting people involved in their local area. It could include projects to provide positive activities for young people, address health issues, or improve safety - anything which helps tackle antisocial behaviour.

South Lanarkshire Council - £20,000

This pilot will enable South Lanarkshire's to further develop the 'Positive Communities' model, engaging with a range of community and tenants' groups to identify and prioritise local issues and influence the direction of resources.

Shetland Islands Council - £10,000

This pilot will enable the North Staney Hill Community Association, supported by Shetland Islands Council, to build on its efforts to renew a sense of community within the area and overcome the negative assumptions that are made about it, increase understanding between groups in the community and allow the community to solve its own problems.

Stirling Community Safety Partnership - £30,000

This pilot will focus on the Dunblane area and will engage young people who are currently involved in aspects of antisocial behaviour as well as those who are on the fringes of such behaviour. It aims to encourage young people to take ownership and responsibility for their behaviour and to build the capacity of young people to positively engage, both with community planning partners and with the wider community they live in.

North Lanarkshire Partnership - £25,000

The pilot aims to strengthen local community planning structures through offering the residents of one area the opportunity for the first time, to make decisions about the distribution of public funds, at the same time strengthening relationships between residents and agencies operating in the area. North Lanarkshire has already identified how participatory budgeting might be sustained into overall Community Planning processes.