More than £50,000 of grants from the Local Community Improvement Fund were awarded at last night’s Executive meeting.
The fund provides grants to assist local not for profit organisations with the delivery of community projects. The grants are funded through Community Infrastructure Levy payments (payments made to the council for development taking place in the Borough).
The grants approved are:
- £3,206 to Frimley Phoenix Cricket Club for a cricket equipment storage container at Frimley Green Recreation Ground
- £2,500 Mytchett Bowls Club for external improvements to the Bowls Club clubhouse at Mytchett Recreation Ground
- £45,000 to Surrey Heath Borough Council Recreation & Leisure Services for the refurbishment of the playground including replacement of the goal and basketball hoop and additional fencing around the open space at Loman Road Playground, Mytchett
- £2,244 to Mytchett Community Association for the replacement of a broken indoor defibrillator with an outdoor defibrillator at The Mytchett Centre.
Portfolio Holder for Homes, Planning and Enforcement, Cllr Alan Ashbery said: ‘In difficult financial times, it is excellent news that the Local Community Improvement Fund is able to support these important community projects. The money in the fund comes from developer payments, and so does not come out of the council budget.
“The fund is open for applications twice a year, with the next applications period due in January – I encourage local community groups to apply for funding for suitable projects.”
Also at the meeting, the Ward Councillor and Community Grant schemes (including the Emergency Food, Fuel and Energy grant) were reviewed.
In light of the recent change to the council’s financial position, reductions in the budget must be made to produce a sustainable budget in the future, and as part of this process, the two schemes have been reviewed to establish their community impact in terms of numbers of applications made and the value given in this financial year.
Portfolio Holder for Resident Services and Communities, Cllr Lisa Finan-Cooke said: “Analysis of these grant schemes shows their reach has not been as extensive as anticipated, and it has been decided that ward councillor grants will be immediately paused for the remainder of the financial year, whilst Community Grants will stay open for applications to the calendar year end to support selected groups through the winter. The schemes won’t appear in future budgets until a sustainable financial position is reached, at which point they will be reconsidered.
"We would clearly prefer not to have to take this action, and we will work to support organisations to secure alternative funding, however we have to make difficult decisions to protect the council's finances, and to ensure we can continue to support as many residents as possible."
The lottery grant fund will not be impacted by this decision.