£1.3 million in funding confirmed for local neighbourhood projects

· by · in Arts and culture, Civic Pride, Environment, Leisure and sport. ·

Merton Council has announced a further £1.3 million in funding for 22 community projects across the borough, to support and strengthen local sports groups, community-led environmental projects, and the growing arts and cultural sector.

Following recent confirmation that 18 local voluntary and community organisations will share almost £5million in financial support from the ‘Supporting the Voluntary and Community Sector’ element of the new Civic Pride Fund to deliver 24 projects to serve local people, a further £1.3 million has been confirmed to support 22 local community projects across the borough through the ‘Investing in Neighbourhoods’ Civic Pride Fund scheme.

The ‘Investing in Neighbourhoods’ scheme will see tax paid by housing developers through the Community Infrastructure Levy used to support local community projects starting during 2023.

Government legislation requires local authorities to collect the Community Infrastructure Levy from housing developers on behalf of the Mayor of London and retain 15% of the levy to fund neighbourhood projects. For 2023, this will result in £1.3 million being distributed to local community projects across Merton through the ‘Investing in Neighbourhoods’ scheme.

‘Investing in Neighbourhoods’ funding recipients range from Merton School Sports Partnership who will provide more school sports coaches, and training for up to 24 young people to deliver sports coaching, and the Mitcham based BMX track and club, Merton Saints, who will upgrade their track and introduce energy efficient lighting, to Merton Garden Streets, who will develop a new garden space to encourage biodiversity, and youth charity, Uptown Youth, who will help disadvantaged young people gain employment and training, and community venue, Vestry Hall, who will develop a dedicated arts and entertainment hub offering free activities for local people.

Councillor Eleanor Stringer, Cabinet Member for Civic Pride, said: “We know that our residents are proud of their local greenspaces, sports clubs and community groups, and are delighted to be using funds raised from housing developments to support such a breadth of amazing projects right across the borough. The investment in these grassroots activities will help us to achieve our aims of improving access to sports and physical activity, as well as improving environmental sustainability.

We look forward to opening the call for further Investing in Neighbourhoods funding later this year, and I encourage residents to work with their local community groups to develop new projects and ideas to best serve them.”

To find out more about the Civic Pride Fund and see the full list of successful ‘Investing in Neighbourhoods’ applicants visit: Civic Pride Funds : Investing in Neighbourhoods | Merton Council

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NOTES TO EDITOR:

  • Supporting the Voluntary and Community Sector’ programme:
  • 18 organisations will share over £5 million to deliver 24 projects over 3 years – the largest number of organisations funded via grants.
  • Out of the 18 organisations, 3 organisations haven’t received this funding previously.
  • Over £1million has been allocated to organisations that support older people.
  • Over £500,000 has been allocated to organisations that support people with disabilities and impairments.
  • £203,962.00 has been allocated to BAME Voice.
  • ‘Investing in Neighbourhoods’ scheme:
  • over £1.3 million in money paid to Merton Council by property developers building new housing within the borough, will go to 22 local community projects during 2023