Archive for category: Local News

Community Initiative funds open for applications

COMMUNITY groups in Hinckley and the parishes of Hinckley and Bosworth are being encouraged to apply for their share of the Borough Council’s Parish and Hinckley Initiative Fund.

A total of £134,000 has been made available to support community projects throughout the borough. Grants are available for up to 50 per cent of the total project cost. The minimum total project cost for the scheme is £5,000 and grants cannot exceed 50% of the total project costs. A maximum of £12,000 can be allocated to any one parish area and £10,000 is available through the Hinckley community initiative fund to community groups within the town of Hinckley.

In the past these grants have helped fund a wide variety of projects such as play areas, community building improvements, new pathways, heritage trails, and sports facilities. This year to reflect the council’s commitment to address the climate emergency and in line with its climate change and biodiversity strategy, projects which reduce carbon emissions or improve biodiversity will be given priority when allocating funding. Projects will be prioritised in the following order:

• Climate change/carbon reduction projects and conservation/biodiversity projects
• Play area improvements and community building projects
• Sports and fitness projects, footpaths, trails and historic features
• Landscaping projects and improvements to places of worship
• Others (schemes that meet the essential criteria but don’t fall into any of the above categories)

Councillor Martin Cartwright, Executive Member responsible for Rural Communities and Environment at the Borough Council, said: “As in previous years I would like to see these grants spread as wide as possible across the parishes and variety of schemes delivered, with special emphasis on the smaller organisations as well as our parish councils. Any project with a focus on climate impact reduction or carbon reduction measures as well as biodiversity all of which will help towards the council’s ambitions to be carbon neutral by 2030 will receive extra points awarded in the overall scoring process. I would urge your community group or parish council to apply for this grant funding. Good luck.”

Councillor Cathie Gibbens, Chair of the Hinckley Area Committee welcomed the initiative and said: “I am delighted the council has once again been able to continue with this funding and look forward to it continuing to have a positive impact on the development of community-based projects in the Hinckley area. Local groups – please apply.”

How to apply:

More information about the scheme and how to register can be found by visiting: https://www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/pcis

Deadline for applications is 12 January 2024.

For more information, please contact the Green Spaces Team on 01455 255707 or email GreenSpaces@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk

You are invited to share your views on crime and anti-social behaviour in your local area by completing a community safety survey.  The views that you share will help improve the work across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour and protect communities.

Within Hinckley & Bosworth, resident’s views will help the Community Safety Partnership to have a better understanding in the levels and types of crime and anti-social behaviour and ensure we focus on issues that are of most concern to our residents.

The survey can be accessed on the following link www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CommunitySafetySurveyLLR or by scanning the attached QR code.

Paper copies can be requested from Community Safety on 01455 238141.

The Community Safety Survey will close on Sunday 17^th December 2023.

Community Safety Survey 2023 – Poster

The Office of Police and Crime Commissioner are recruiting for Volunteer Independent Custody Visitors, the vacancy is now live and the details can be accessed using the link below.

Volunteer Independent Custody Visitor – Shared HR Service Centre (tal.net)

Note that the closing date is Friday 17^th November 2023.  Please can you pass this link on to anyone who may be interested in joining.  We are looking to recruit up to 10 new volunteers.

ICV Recruitment Poster – ICVA

Thank you.

Kind Regards,

Hina Sharma

Volunteer Manager 7051

Hinckley and Bosworth Rural England Prosperity Fund Grants Now Open

A new scheme aimed at boosting the rural economy is now open to applications and will run until March 2025. Rural businesses and organisations are being invited to apply for grants to help them to become greener. The initiative has been made possible thanks to £400,000 of funds from the Rural England Prosperity Fund. Those eligible for the grant include businesses and local organisations that invest in green technologies, as well as those that increase productivity; protect and improve local historic buildings, venues and cultural offerings; provide diversification outside of agriculture and develop local tourism attractions. Applications are especially encouraged from those who would like to install low and zero carbon-generating technologies, or measures to improve energy efficiency.

There are a range of grants available, with funds from £7,500 to £22,500. The grants also have an intervention rate of 75%, meaning businesses and organisations need only find a minimum 25% of the total eligible project costs to apply. With a pool of £100,000 available in Year 1 (2023/24) and £300,000 in Year 2 (2024/25), the council is expecting high interest and applications will be treated on a first-come first-served basis. The fund is open to applications for Year 1 and 2, although applications for Year 2 must be projects that will not commence prior to 1st April 2024.

The closing date for the first round of funding is midday on Wednesday 29 November 2023.

Full information and how to apply to the Hinckley and Bosworth Rural England Prosperity Fund scheme can be found on the Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council webpage: www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/ruralprosperity