Council sets up £500k fund for Lawley and Lightmoor

Telford & Wrekin Council has set aside a half a fund for Lawley and Lightmoor.

The fund is to be invested into the two areas that are Telford’s largest new housing developments to ensure they continue to flourish. 

The money which will pump prime initiatives across Lawley and Lightmoor will also be used as leverage in funding from other partners with the creation of a community-led and community backed action plan.

Bournville Village Trust (BVT), who currently run the Stewardship Services and will play a key part in the new community-led “task force”, has pledged to freeze its Stewardship Charge for the next two years while the organisations work together.

The fund can also be used to help set up and prime a range of resident-led initiatives to promote further community involvement and activities improving the areas.

The grant is part of a series of one-off investments by the Council totalling £3.6m.

The Lawley Village Community Association will lead an independent survey of residents in Lawley to get their views and the Council will also employ a dedicated person to help support the community and BVT on a range of initiatives.

In Lightmoor, which when complete will feature 1,000 homes in a garden village setting, a new residents’ forum will be set up to revisit the village’s vision and provide community-led leadership. The Council is also due to make some safety improvements Lightmoor’s primary school.

The Council’s £500,000 funding, which is in direct response to issues raised by residents in Lawley and Lightmoor, will be overseen by a dedicated Cabinet Member and the creation of a Task Force . The Council Leader Councillor Shaun Davies will act as that Cabinet Member in the interim.

The council will work closely with Bournville Village Trust which has developed Lightmoor Village in a joint venture with Homes England and includes local management through a stewardship service.

Council leader Shaun Davies said: “These are two of the borough’s newest and fastest growing communities. They face a unique set of challenges linked to their growth and it’s important that partners come together to help tackle these and work with residents to do all we can to build strong communities. 

“We are making this extra funding available to help establish ways to address a number of issues that affect these areas and to work even more closely with residents to help them become part of a longer term solution.

“In my role as Cabinet Member for Lawley and Lightmoor, I will hold developers and partners to account on behalf of and in conjunction with residents and residents groups. It is clear that Lightmoor and Lawley are fantastic communities!”