The North East multi-ward forum was scheduled to consider the allocation of funds to local projects through three separate schemes: the Cleaner Greener Safer programme, the Neighbourhoods Fund and the Devolved Highways programme. The meeting was also scheduled to receive an update on the underspend carried forward from the previous year's Cleaner Greener Safer programme, and consider whether it should be added to the current year's budget. The forum was scheduled to hear representations from local people and organisations as part of the decision-making process.

Allocation of the Neighbourhoods Fund

The forum was scheduled to consider 98 applications for grants from the Neighbourhoods Fund ¹. The applications were from all four wards covered by the forum: North Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, South Bermondsey, and Surrey Docks. The applications requested a total of £481,914.

The report pack notes that:

Each ward will have £10,000 per Councillor of revenue grants to allocate and it is proposed that any unallocated funds from the previous rounds (years) are to be carried forward and added to the financial year commencing 1 April 2025. ²

It goes on to say that the forum may choose to top up capital grants already awarded through the Cleaner Greener Safer programme.

The largest application was for £60,000 from the SEND Saturday Sports Club³, which provides sports and activities for children with special needs. The club says that if it cannot secure the full amount of funding requested, it will have to close. Other notable applications included £20,000 for Living Bankside's Our Futures Programme, £19,100 for the XLP Youth Charity's Bermondsey Girls Fitness Programme, and £18,000 from Shining Light 4U CIC, for their Rotherhithe Community Kitchen.

Allocation of the Devolved Highways Programme

The forum was scheduled to consider a total of 6 applications for funding from the Devolved Highways Programme. Five of these were for highways projects proposed by local people and organisations, and one for a signposting scheme on the Rotherhithe Peninsula proposed by council officers.

The five applications from the public included two for the installation of pedestrian / cyclist demarcation markings, one in Rotherhithe ward and one in Surrey Docks ward, one for the planting of trees on Railway Avenue in Rotherhithe ward, one for the de-paving of part of Southwark Park Road in South Bermondsey ward, and one for the Revive & Bloom: A Green Transformation of Old Ken in South Bermondsey.

Allocation of the Cleaner Greener Safer programme

The forum was scheduled to consider 34 applications from local groups and individuals for a total of £446,350. Included in this is an underspend of £59,750 carried forward from the previous year's budget.

Notable applications included:

• £20,000 for Ballers Academy CIC to develop a new goal safety initiative.
• £20,000 to fund the Leveraging the use of an empty and very sparse local park, described as a plan to create a new open access space for sports and other activities.
• £15,000 to create a new Farm to Fork – Community Kitchen, serving Greenland Dock.
• £15,000 to improve access to Surrey Docks Farm.
• £13,000 to improve waste collection and planting at the Blue Market car park.
• £12,000 for the creation of a new cycle climb on Kintore Way.
• £12,000 to improve the Kirby Estate park.