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The report of the Chief Executive set out the
Community Development Grant Scheme in detail and sought approval to
launch the scheme in July 2025.  The
grant would support local voluntary, community and charitable
groups to deliver targeted services that met residents’ needs
and enhance the quality of life in the community.  
 
This would be the third round of the UKSPF
Community Development Grant Scheme in addition to a recent TMBC
50th Anniversary Community Grant Scheme which had just
been completed.   All three
previous schemes had been well received by the local voluntary,
community and charity sector and many projects across the borough
had been delivered, providing vital support to
residents.  As the schemes had been
over-subscribed, and to help manage the process, guidance and
scoring criteria was set out at Annex 1 to the report, to ensure
applicants were aware of funding priorities and to maintain a fair
and consistent approach to grant allocation.
 
In terms of the implementation, the scheme
would be launched on 14 July 2025 and closed on 15 September 2025.
The final approval of grant allocations would be at Cabinet on 14
October 2025, with funds distributed from the end of October
2025. 
 
Careful consideration was given to the
guidance and scoring criteria at Annex 1.  In order to support
local veterans and the Borough’s armed forces community, Cllr
Keers proposed, seconded by Cllr Boughton that additional points be
included in the scoring criteria for any group proposing projects
in support of the armed forces.
 
RESOLVED: 
That
 
(1)       
the priorities of the scheme, as set out in the report, be
endorsed;

 
(2)       
the Guidance and Scoring Criteria as set out in Annex 1, be
endorsed subject to the inclusion of additional points for any
group proposing projects in support of the armed forces; and
 
(3)       
the launch of the scheme on 14 July 2025, be agreed;

Reasons for the decision

As set out in the report submitted to Cabinet
on 30 June 2025.