This Technical Note will be published on the Council’s website following circulation to Members. Its contents may be disclosed or shared outwith the Council.
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Following on from Report PNCA/042/21/HH which obtained the approval to support the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card scheme, Officers are providing an update following the signing of the programme concordant.
The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is a programme developed by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) and is available to all local authority areas in Scotland and follows on from successful local gift card schemes previously implemented in individual towns. The objective of the scheme is to encourage people to spend money locally, in turn supporting local businesses that are emerging from the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions.
The Gift Card is a new way of ensuring that money stays local for longer in every region across Scotland. Like any other gift card, users can choose the amount of money to load on to the card. The only difference with this is that it can only be spent within the recipient’s own region – giving them an opportunity to enjoy and support the businesses around them.
The Council signed a concordant in September which committed it to the programme for one year. The scheme is free of charge for the first year. 5,000 Gift Cards unique to the local authority will be produced upon launch of the scheme. There are no initial setup costs for local authorities to become part of the Scotland Loves Local scheme. These are being met with the support of the Scottish Government.
Should the Council wish to remain within the scheme after year one, there will be a nominal fee to continue within the scheme from year two onwards amounting to £600/month plus printing costs for the Gift Cards. This fee encompasses participation in the scheme, fulfilment, promotion, e-commerce and platform access.
By signing up the Council is expected to support the use of the card, promote registration and business onboarding, work with partners to launch the gift card, and provide content for a webpage specific to East Dunbartonshire.
The gift card was launched nationally by the Scottish Government in June where Community Wealth Minister Tom Arthur urged businesses across the country to sign up and be part of the programme.
The Council are now making a push locally as part of the Regional promotional phase with partners including the Milngavie BID and Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce to raise awareness of the Gift Card within the local business community and to encourage them to sign up. The programme will be promoted by the Council in the local press, on the Council website and social media – with details for local businesses on how to take part.
Following the push to get businesses onboard, the programme will enter the Consumer Launch phase when the card purchase will be actively promoted to consumers across Scotland. This call to action will be a final call for local businesses to onboard; to corporates to purchase the card for corporate reward schemes; and for the cards to be used in the community.
The Council will support and promote the Consumer Launch with a photocall, media release, updated webpage and an ongoing social media plan. Continued communications relating to milestones, impact and promotional will be looked at on a regular basis.
Officers will continue monitoring the programme’s uptake and impact with a view to making a recommendation on whether the Council should remain in the scheme after year one at a future meeting of the Place Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets Committee.
