A review has revealed that Weymouth & Portland Borough Council succeeded in attracting grants worth £612,899 in 2013/14.
Most of this money was used directly by the borough council to deliver services and invest in infrastructure. However, £181,386 of these funds were awarded direct to a range of community groups and organisations across the borough.
The growing importance of securing external funding to help improve the quality of life for people across Weymouth and Portland was considered by the borough council’s Scrutiny and Performance Committee earlier this week. (26/6)
The committee examined a council register of grants received and awarded. This money is crucial at a time when the borough council is facing a 60 per cent reduction in Government funding between 2010 and 2020.
Councillor Colin Huckle, Weymouth & Portland Borough Council Briefholder for Finance and Assets, said: “We have been working hard to win grant funding for the good of people in our borough. Most of this money is ring fenced, which means the funder requires us to spend it in a certain way.
“These grants are becoming more and more important as with inflation, rising costs and funding reductions we are expected to have around £9 million less each year in 2020 than we had a decade ago.
“We have to do all we can in the future to attract more grants and funding to improve life for residents in Weymouth and Portland.”
The largest grant awarded to the borough council was £300,000 from the Environment Agency for the sea wall repairs at Chiswell.
A Homelessness Prevention Grant of £141,158 from the Department of Communities and Local Government was the second highest grant received. This money has been used to support a range of projects including a ‘Street Homelessness Assertive Outreach Project’ and to provide ‘Crisis Support for Older People’.
A variety of smaller grants for community groups totalling £116,000 were secured through the borough council’s Community Planning and Development Service. These helped a range of projects including health, arts and conservation initiatives. A community safety grant of £5,000 was received from the Police and Crime Commissioner for graffiti removal and youth outreach services.
Other services winning funding included Tourism and Events. They netted £20,000 from the Ministry of Defence and £5,000 from the Dorset Health and Wellbeing Board. The money was used to help fund the Armed Forces day Celebration, the Royal Air Force Town Show and Beach Volleyball Classic and the Dorset Festival of Sport.
