It is great news for six local communities who are set to have projects in their areas supported by grants from Eden District Council’s £300,000 Signature Projects Fund.
Eden District Council’s Executive approved the grants at its meeting on Tuesday 22 January 2019. The Signature Projects Fund was announced by Council Leader Kevin Beaty last year, as a one-off fund and applications were invited from town councils, parish councils and parish meetings to support their own projects or acting as an accountable body for community groups/organisations seeking funding.
Grants were available for community projects that deliver wide community benefit contributing to the sustainability, vitality and well-being of Eden’s communities. Applicants were invited to apply for grants between £10,001 and £100,000 which were up to 75% of the total project costs.
A working group of members from the Council’s Executive comprising Councillors Beaty, Slee and Martin met in December 2018 to consider the eleven final applications the Council received for the funding. The total amount requested across all applications was £531,273.
The working group considered that eight out of the 11 applications meet all the criteria and were of high enough quality to merit funding, but the total funding requested by these eight applications exceeded the £300,000 available, so it was decided that the fairest course of action would be to offer funding at a reduced level.
The working group recommended that six of these applicants should be offered 75% of the grant funding requested on the understanding that they seek further funding from elsewhere to make up the shortfall.
Eden District Council’s Communities Portfolio Holder, Elaine Martin, said: “The Signature Project Fund is providing funding to support projects identified by parish councils that will bring a real long-term benefit for local communities. I would like to thank all those who submitted applications and look forward to seeing how the successful projects come to fruition in the future.”
The six projects supported by the Signature Project Fund are:
| Project | Successful Applicant | Amount Awarded |
| Fairhill Playing Field inclusive access for all | Penrith Town Council | £33,750 |
| Kirkby Stephen all-weather pitch replacement and lighting upgrade | Kirkby Stephen Town Council | £75,000 |
| Kirkby Thore recreation ground – new play equipment | Kirkby Thore Parish Council | £21,131 |
| King George V Patterdale playing field – new community pavilion | Patterdale Parish Council | £75,000 |
| Ravenstonedale Community and Heritage Centre – Provision of toilet facilities and disabled access | Ravenstonedale Parish Council | £71,885.25 |
| Tebay community tennis courts | Tebay Parish Council | £13,085.25 |
| Total amount awarded | £289,851.50 |
For more information about Eden District Council visit www.eden.gov.uk
