Deadline: 29-Mar-24
The Wem Rural Parish Council is offering grants to voluntary organisations and community groups, which in the opinion of the Council is in the interests of the Parish of Wem Rural and/or its residents and will benefit them in a manner commensurate with the expenditure.
The Council is committed to supporting local community groups and where possible, financially. The Council invites applications on an annual basis with deadlines published in the Rural Review.
Aims
- To provide effective, efficient and accountable local government for the parish, enabling residents to be involved in the life of the community and its future development.
- To be a strong voice for residents and local businesses, working to improve the overall parish area both built and natural, while preserving the uniqueness of heritage areas.
Objectives
- To understand and communicate the views, needs and aspirations of residents and businesses to statutory and non-governmental bodies as required.
- Increase public involvement in the community through ensuring the parish council and its activities are open, transparent and accountable to residents.
- Support local business and economic activity in the parish.
- Work with other Councils to provide safe, healthy and timely opportunities for recreation, leisure and education.
- To support the work of parish voluntary organizations through grants and practical support
- Respond to planning applications and other statutory consultations on time, ensuring that recommendations made to Shropshire Council adhere to the community plan, any statutory regulations, and the interests of the community.
- Promote, within their community, activities which support the principles of environmental sustainability and an ethical society, working with others to keep public places clean and safe.
- Ensure that Councilors and Staff have access to high quality training and development opportunities and that they meet all required standards, for example working towards achieving Quality Council status.
Eligibility Criteria
- Local voluntary organisations, community groups and sports/recreational clubs. All must:
- be of a non-commercial nature,
- have a constitution, set of rules or documented aims and objectives,
- have a bank account with at least two signatures. The paramount concern of the Council is that any grant application must be seen to be of benefit to residents of the Parish.
Ineligible
- Organisations or activities which do not substantially benefit the residents of the Parish.
- Organisations or activities which are primarily commercial in nature.
- Organisations which have a closed or restricted membership.
- Organisations that are the responsibility of another public body/agency. However, some form of matched/joint funding may be considered.
- Religious or political activities unless unrestricted community benefit can be demonstrated.
- Loan repayments.
- Retrospective applications where the activity or project has already been carried out
Conditions
- The grant can only be used for the purposes stated in the application and the Council reserves the right to reclaim any grant not being used for the purpose of the application.
- If the organisation requires a change of the purpose of the grant, the Council’s prior approval must be obtained which will not be unreasonably withheld.
- Individuals may apply for grants if submitted by an organisation to which they belong. The organisation is responsible for ensuring the grant is used for the purpose for which it is granted.
- Organisations are responsible for ensuring that they are in compliance with all legal and statutory requirements.
- Should for any reason the organisation disband during the period of the grant the Council may ask for all or part of the monies to be paid back.
- Recognition of the grant from Wem Rural Parish Council must be made in any publicity.
- Within three months of the grant being awarded the organisation is required to submit a report detailing how the grant was used (or plans to spend it) and the impact it has made.
- Organisations can normally only make one application per year, though exceptions can be made.
- More than one project can be included in a grant, though one completed application form per project is required. Should any of these conditions not be met it could result in the grant being withdrawn, the grant having to be repaid and future grant applications being refused.
For more information, visit Wem Rural Parish Council.