A new fund of £54,000 to help spruce up local areas across the Bay has been made available.

After years of austerity and hard decisions being made on not replacing or fixing the small things in local communities the new Community Ward Fund could be used to:

• Freshen up and/or fix play equipment and seating in local parks
• Replace or freshen up signage, for example road signs
• Fix and/or re-paint fences and gates on council land

The fund will be allocated on the basis of £1,500 for each Councillor within the wards, so a ward with two councillors will be allocated £3,000.

Ward Councillors and Community Partnerships will work together with their local communities to gather ideas of grass roots projects and proposals that this fund could be used on.

Leader of Torbay Council, Cllr Steve Darling, said: “The Partnership are fully aware of the challenges our local communities experience. We also know that just fixing the smallest of things can really make the biggest of differences to our resident’s local areas which is why this fund has been made available. I encourage you to take a look around your local ward area and make contact with your local Councillor and Community Partnership with your ideas.”

Cllr Darren Cowell, Deputy Leader of Torbay Council, said: “Austerity hit us hard and the council had to make difficult decisions on what our allocation from Government and your council tax was spent on. We hope that this fund will go to some way in improving your local area for you, your families and your neighbours.”

Residents are encouraged to make contact with their Ward Councillors and their Community Partnership by Sunday 28 March 2021 to make suggestions for what the fund could be spent on. For details of how to contact your local councillor visit the Councillor's page. Contact details for the Community Partnerships are available on the Torbay Community Development Trust website.

Final recommendations on what the funding will be spent on are to be submitted by Ward Councillors and Community Partnerships by 31 March 2021. Approval of the projects that will be funded will be made as soon as possible after this date so work on the projects can start from April 2021.

For more information on this fund visit the community ward fund page.