COMMUNITY leaders in Tamworth are set to receive an update on a grant scheme six months after the budget was cut in half as part of cost-saving measures.
The amount each councillor can award to a community or voluntary group via the initiative at Tamworth Borough Council has fallen from £1,000 to £500 a year.
The cut was approved in February and came into effect at the beginning of April, reducing the overall scheme from £30,000 to £15,000.
A report is due to be considered by the council’s prosperity, place and environment overview and scrutiny committee next week on how the fund has been used so far this financial year.
So far, eight grant awards totalling £4,250 have been recorded up to 29th September. However, the council said the definitive year-to-date position is still to be confirmed by the Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Shropshire, which administers the scheme.
The grants listed include £1,500 for Tamworth Scouts’ Safari Park project and £750 for its fire safety project. DBC Clubs for Young People and Mercia Boxing Club were each awarded £500, while Oakhill Primary Academy PTA, Jessie’s Journey, Tamworth Foodbank and Changes Tamworth were each awarded £250.
A report to the committee states:
"Councillor funding has supported local voluntary and community organisations, including projects focused on community facilities, health and wellbeing, food support, youth activity and social connection.
"The scheme supports community participation and enables councillors to respond to neighbourhood needs. The budget reduction also contributes to maintaining balanced and financially resilient budgets."
The budget reduction was considered as part of the council’s wider savings proposals for 2026-27.
The report to the committee states that the council considered retaining the previous £30,000 budget or removing the scheme entirely before deciding to cut it in half.
Last month, leader Cllr Carol Dean confirmed that no specific proposals have been agreed against a proposed £1million saving identified in the budget needed to be made.
Councillors were warned in February that unless savings are achieved from 2028-29, there would be insufficient reserves to balance the budget.
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