Local voluntary groups are being invited to bid for ward grants to help fund projects that will improve local communities and the lives of York residents. Each Residents’ Forum (previously called Ward Committee) has a budget from which grants can be given to not-for-profit groups who meet certain criteria.

The amount of money available to fund neighbourhood initiatives like these has been slashed to only 10% of the figure made available when the Liberal Democrats led the Council.

The Councils approach has been criticised as large parts of the City have no neighbourhood based voluntary Groups operating.

Even those with residents associations struggled to find suitable projects while traditionally popular programmes (such a improved parking facilities and salt bin refilling) were abandoned.

Ward Councillors will look at applications at ward team meetings and will make recommendations as to whether they wish to support the application. These will then be passed to City of York Council’s Director of Communities and Neighbourhoods for final approval.

Recent awards include grants to Friends of West Bank Park to help fund their annual summer fair, to Young at Heart luncheon group to provide a venue for lunch and entertainment for elderly isolated residents in the ward, to Bishopthorpe 1st Scout Group to replace the kitchen in the scout hut, and to Clifton Residents’ Association to support Family Fun Day at Burton Stone Community Centre.

Each ward has different priorities and levels of funding available. Most wards consider applications throughout the year until the funding is exhausted, while a small number have deadlines for applications, the soonest being 1 July 2013 for Fishergate ward.

For further information and to request an application form for funding e-mail shapingneighbourhoods@york.gov.uk or telephone City of York Council’s Communities and Equalities Team on (01904) 551832.