Mendip District Council has announced the local community projects which are to receive a total of £250,000 in funding.
Earlier this year, the council set up a Local Legacy Fund and invited community groups throughout Mendip to bid for funds for specific projects which would provide a lasting legacy in the district by:
· Adding to the health and wellbeing of the local community
· Creating educational, training or work opportunities for the local community
· Improving the quality of life of the local community
The organisations that will receive funding are:
· Walton Parish Council – £15,000 towards the creation of new community allotments.
· Rodney Stoke Parish Council – £5,000 towards a new children’s playground and play equipment.
· Kilmersdon Community Park Committee – £15,000 towards a new playground and community park.
· Frome Town Council – £20,000 towards wildlife corridor improvements on the northern bank of the River Frome.
· Sustrans – £75,000 to join up the Whatcombe to Welshmill cycle path to the National Cycle Network.
· Cheese and Grain venue (Frome) – £15,000 towards setting up an enterprise and training hub and summer university.
· Friends of Shepton Mallet Recreation – £15,000 towards bringing the town’s old skate park back into use.
· Pilton Playing Field Committee – £20,000 towards the creation of a new skate park for the village.
· Mendip YMCA – £70,000 towards providing new accommodation for young people across the district.
Tracy Aarons, Corporate Manager for Built Environment, said: “We had a lot of interest in the Local Legacy Fund from communities across the district. We used strict criteria to decide which projects would receive funding and the nine schemes that have been chosen will leave a lasting legacy which will have a really positive impact on the local area.”
Harvey Siggs, Leader of Mendip District Council, said, “These nine projects will improve the quality of life for communities across Mendip and I’m delighted that we have been able to contribute towards their funding.
“We had a huge amount of interest in the Local Legacy Fund and I know there will be many community groups disappointed that we have been unable to give them funding. I would like to reassure them that we used a strict set of criteria to judge each application to ensure the process was completely fair.”
The council has also released an additional £100,000 through its Community Environment Fund, which will give £2,000 over two years to each Mendip District councillor to fund community projects in their local ward.
There are criteria outlining how the money can be spent, with funds having to go towards schemes which improve the local environment and benefit local residents within the ward.
For more information on the Community Environment Fund go to: www.mendip.gov.uk/newhomesbonus