Parishes could be quids in

East Devon District Council and Devon County Council have worked together again to put the sum of £1.10 per elector into a ‘Parishes Together Fund’ grants scheme that Town and Parish Councils can apply for. The overall pot of cash available amounts to nearly £115,000.

The funding is available to Town and Parish Councils working together and involving the community to try and solve local issues. All applications must be submitted jointly from two or more parishes. Money could be used for anything from permanent items to events, networks and one-off costs.   The deadline for the first round of funding applications is 30 September 2013.

Each Town or Parish Council involved can apply for up to £1.10 for every person in their parish that was listed on the electoral roll in February 2013.

More information about the scheme is available at www.eastdevon.gov.uk/parishestogetherfund

EDDC’s part of the funding has come from the New Homes Bonus, which is paid by the Government to EDDC for every new home built or brought back into use.

Councillor Ray Bloxham, EDDC Member and Chair of the New Homes Bonus Panel, said: “In this time of financial need this is an important fund that we have set up jointly with Devon County Council. I would encourage Town and Parish Councils to start talking to their neighbours and others throughout the District and thinking about how they can make best use of this pot of money.”   

Devon County Council Leader John Hart, said: “If we believe in localism, then it is vital we work together in new and different ways to better help our communities to help themselves, and give parishes and towns the power to make decisions as locally as possible.

“It is so important that we have have made provision in the budget for £1 per elector and are making this money available for parishes and towns to spend to benefit the communities in which they live. They know best what they want, and I look forward again to seeing how the money is spent over this next year.”