£2m fund approved to improve local communities
12 June 2018
Cheshire East Council’s cabinet has approved a scheme to provide funding that will assist communities where new housing developments have been built.
The new homes bonus community fund is an initiative that supports residents to design and implement sustainable projects that will improve their local communities and meet locally identified needs.
The fund, which provides a total of £2m up to 2020, will give local communities an opportunity to present their ideas for projects to their ward members and town and parish councils for consideration. The best ideas will go to Cheshire East Council for approval.
The fund will be split across the borough based on the location of housing developments and the minimum grant figure to be awarded for these projects is £10,000. The project cost has been assessed to ensure that approved projects approved will be of sufficient significance to bring real benefit to their communities and optimise their future sustainability.
Councillor Paul Bates, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for finance and communications, said: “The idea of the new homes bonus is to allow any groups and communities, that are affected by new housing developments, to come forward and tell the council what projects can make a positive difference to their local communities.
“These projects need to be ambitious and must be sustainable in order to have a significant beneficial impact on people living immediately in the areas where the developments have been built. I’m looking forward to seeing what plans are put forward that can benefit from this first round of funding.”
Funding released under this scheme will be subject to clear protocols to ensure outcomes are achieved. The council has undertaken a significant review of grant payments and a corporate grants policy will be considered by cabinet next month.
Details of how to apply for a new homes bonus will be published soon.