New £2m fund launched to help Wealden communities

A new £2million fund is being launched by Wealden District Council to support community buildings, green spaces, cultural infrastructure and other leisure/ sports projects across the district.

The Community Led Infrastructure Fund – CLIF – was approved at a Full Council meeting recently. The capital fund will be backed by money collected from developers through the council’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and be used to target small and medium scale projects based in Wealden communities.

The money could be spent on adaptations to community buildings, energy efficiency measures, access improvements to outdoor spaces and installing new facilities and equipment.

Organisations applying will need to demonstrate a level of match funding – a minimum of 20 per cent of the grant being requested – to support the project. All projects will be required to show they have the support and will meet the needs of their local community.

Councillor Rachel Millward, Alliance for Wealden (Green Party) and lead councillor for Community, Culture and Communications and deputy leader of the council, said, “This new fund is hugely exciting and it’s great to be able to make this sort of investment in our communities. We can only make Wealden greener, fairer and kinder by working in partnership with grassroots organisations.

 “We want local groups to put forward proposals that have broad support in their community. We know that in some places there are projects waiting to go and they just need some cash; in others, projects will need to be developed.

"I would encourage Wealden residents who are involved in clubs, societies or groups to think about what difference this could make to their local community.”

Expressions of interest can be sent to CLIF@wealden.gov.uk.