A COUNCILLOR says it is “disappointing” that community groups across Lichfield and Burntwood have missed out on funding.
Cllr Steve Norman’s comments follow the publication of a report on a scheme designed to support local good causes.
The Councillor Community Fund sees each member of Lichfield District Council able to allocate £300 in micro-grants to help organisations in their area.
But a report to the overview and scrutiny committee meeting on 2nd April found that in 2024 just 79% of councillors fully spent their funding – with five using none of the money whatsoever.
Cllr Steve Norman, Labour chair of the overview and scrutiny committee, said:
“It is disappointing again that despite extra efforts by officers and an improved system some deserving organisations in the district have lost out again on council grants.
“There has been an improvement on the situation from two years ago when only 68% of the councillors spent all their £300 budget to 79% this year – but that means deserving groups or causes have still lost out again.”
The report also outlined some of the projects to have benefited from the scheme, including £300 to Churches Together in Lichfield to provide meals and social activities for those on their own at Christmas and £150 to Spark in Burntwood to help run their international women’s support group.
A spokesperson for Spark said:
“The funding has enabled more women to join these activities, without which they would not have been able to join, due to language barrier and financial difficulties.
“The group really appreciate the meet ups and the funding has enabled more women to join than usual.”
The fund is set to continue next year with applications set to open in May 2025.
“with five using none of the money whatsoever.”
Do we know who these 5 are?
What happens to the unspent money? For those councillors that don’t spend it if other councillors know organisations that could benefit could they not be given it to spend instead?