(Title Image: via Google Earth)
Next week, BCBC’s Cabinet is set to authorise another round of grant funding for community organisations and town & community councils (pdf).Last year, four projects received a combined total of £70,000.
There’s a carrot and stick approach to the funding. The decisions are (generally) closely tied to BCBC’s Community Asset Transfer (CAT) programme, whereby town & community councils and other local organisations take on the long-term maintenance and running costs of local facilities in exchange for BCBC grants.
The BCBC awards for 2019-20, totalling just over £86,000, only covers 41% of the total cost of undertaking all the projects – which stands at £211,000. The project leads will have to provide/raise the rest of the funding themselves.
- Pencoed Town Council (£20,000) – Renovation of Pencoed Recreation Ground Pavilion, subject to CAT. It’s been closed since March 2018 due to weather damage and has been deemed “uneconomical” for BCBC to repair.
- Bridgend Town Council (£20,000) – Renovation of Newbridge Fields Athletics Track, subject to CAT transfer to Bridgend Athletics Club. The total cost of the works is just under £80,000, but the club is also seeking to renovate the clubhouse in partnership with other sports clubs which use the facilities.
- Cornelly Community Council (£10,000) – Renovate Cornelly Community Centre toilets, subject to CAT and match-funding.
- Coity Higher Community Council (£14,999) – Renovate Pendre Playing Fields, subject to CAT.
- Coity Higher Community Council (£15,416) – Renovate Coity Castle playground, subject to CAT and clarification on who owns the site – though the report says the funding could be released whether the transfer to the community council goes ahead or not.
- Cefn Cribwr Community Council (£5,910) – Resurface Bedford Park car park; not linked to CAT but would provide parking on land leased to the Community Council by BCBC.
