Telford & Wrekin Council launches revamped ward grant scheme
Telford & Wrekin Council has launched a revamped grant scheme enabling its elected members to work with local people in making a difference to their community.
The Ward Co-operative Fund will enable each borough councillor to spend up to £2,000 each in their ward on local projects.
Half of the money must be put towards environmental schemes and in previous years the take up has been good, with 51 out of 54 councillors using their full allocation last year.
Councillor Shaun Davies, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “The Ward Co-operative Fund demonstrates the borough’s commitment to building resilient communities.
“It means each local councillor can work with local people to identify schemes that will make a small but significant difference to their local community.
“Involvement in positive projects is something that lifts everyone and increase their sense of the worth of where they live so there are knock on benefits as well as the positives created by the scheme that the money funds.
“I would very much encourage local residents to approach their ward councillor with suggestions for projects that the money could be used to fund.”
Councillor Richard Overton, cabinet member for Public Health, said: “The money for the Ward Co-operative Fund is coming from the council’s Public Health budget.
“Projects will need to fit into one or more of the five ways to wellbeing in order to qualify for funding.
“These including connecting with the people around you, being active, being curious about your environment, continuing to learn and volunteering your time or joining a community group.
“By setting this criteria, we are determined that the Ward Co-operative Fund will ultimately be used to benefit the whole community and make Telford and Wrekin an even better place to live, work and visit.”
