East Durham Rural Corridor AAP Community grants fund proves popular

Durham County CouncilLocal organisations across the East Durham Rural Corridor AAP area are set to benefit from the Your Money, Your Area, Your Views Community Grants Fund.

The fund, which is being made available through all of County Durham’s Area Action Partnerships (AAPs), has proven to be very popular within the East Durham Rural Corridor area with 38 local groups and organisations applying for a share of the £85,000 grant pot.

The funding has been provided by East Durham Rural Corridor AAP.

The decision on who gets the money will be made by members of the public who will get to vote on their favourite projects at the East Durham Rural Corridor AAP event, being held on 23rd November at Sedgefield Community College, Sedgefield between 10am – 2pm. As long as you live, work, volunteer or study in the East Durham Rural Corridor AAP area and are 10 or over, you will have the opportunity to vote on projects that will benefit the local community.

At the event, projects local to the area will be showcasing what they do and what they’d like the money for. After viewing the projects people will be asked to complete a ballot paper and vote for which 4 projects they would like funding to be awarded to.

This approach, known as ‘participatory budgeting’, has been tried in several areas in the past, including East Durham Rural Corridor AAP area but this is the first time it has happened right across County Durham.

During the event the local community will also be given a chance to take part in an exercise to look at how the Council saves the predicted £100m from its budget.

Cllr Brian Stephens, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said “It’s really important for the council to listen to the views of local people and for local people to have a greater say on important, and sometimes difficult, council decisions. Therefore we will be asking people to take some time out and comment on how they think the council can reduce its budget as a result of government spending cuts. And finally there will also be an opportunity to take part in the consultation on the County Durham Plan.”

You can find more information on the events by visiting www.durham.gov.uk/eastdurhamruralaap or by calling the East Durham Rural Corridor AAP Team on 03000 261128.

Do u need TRANSPORT for Its Up 2U on Saturday 23 November?

If you want to go and vote for your favourite project but need transport, then let us know.
PLEASE let us know if you want to get on the bus or need to be collected from elsewhere by 15th Nov – call 03000 261128

For Trimdon, Elliotts minibus pick up times are:-

Trimdon Station Community Centre – 9.40 am and 11.40 am
Trimdon Grange Community Centre – 9.45 am and 11.45 am
Trimdon Village Hall – 9.50 am and 11.50 am
Fishburn Beehive Pub – 9.55 am and 11.55 am

The 16 seater mini-bus will be returning from Sedgefield Community College at 11.15 am and 2.00 pm.

Transport from other areas includes:

Quarrington Hill Community Centre 9.40am
Kelloe Club 9.50am
Coxhoe Village Hall 10am
to arrive at Sedgefield at 10.15 with a return bus at 11.15am

Quarrington Hill 11.40am
Kelloe Club 11.50am
Coxhoe Village Hall 12noon
to arrive at Sedgefield at 12.15 with a return bus at 2pm

PLEASE let us know if you want to get on the bus or need to be collected from elsewhere
by 15th Nov – call 03000 261128