More community climate change projects benefit from grant funding

As part of its efforts to tackle climate change, the council made £300,000 available over two years to enable community projects across the district. The ambition of the Zero Carbon Communities Fund is to stimulate engagement within the community about climate change action and to share project ideas, success and learning.

Fifteen projects that met the criteria of carbon emission reduction, biodiversity restoration and enhancement, or community engagement were successful in being allocated funding in this second year of funding. This follows the 11 projects awarded grants last year.

Cllr Neil Reeve, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change, said: "I am pleased we have managed to enable more important projects that will help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to nature restoration in the district.

"The funding scheme was established to inspire and support community groups to take action on climate change. We received some excellent applications again this year, which shows our communities really want to make a positive impact on their local environment."

The 15 successful projects to receive funding are:

·       Saffron Walden Rugby Football Club * - £28.155.46 - for the installation of solar panels

·       Thames 21 - £20,000 - to establish the Roding and West Essex farm cluster, engagement activities and studies

·       Saffron Hall Trust - £20,000 - for stage light LED replacement

·       Stansted Tennis Club * - £17,760 - for floodlight LED conversion

·       Saffron Walden Town Council - £16,700 - for installation of solar panels at Golden Acre Community Centre

·       Little Canfield Village Hall & Recreation Ground * - £16,500 - for the installation of solar panels on the village hall

·       High Easter Village Hall * - £15,000 - for the installation of solar panels on the village hall

·       Newport Parish Council - £12,500 - for the restoration of Belmont Woods wetlands

·       Young Wilders CIC - £10,728 - for a rewilding project

·       Hadstock Parish Council - £9,590 - for a low carbon community energy project and a high biodiversity project to create a habitat map and nature strategy

·       Widdington Village Hall * - £7,910 - to make carbon emission improvements at the village hall

·       Sustainable Stansted - £3,910 - for a biodiversity study and a project to provide energy-saving information for residents

·       Felsted Parish Council - £3,800 - for a wildflower meadow and habitat creation

·       Stansted Parish Council - £2,112 - for a wildflower and biodiversity project

·       Elsenham Parish Council - £1,000 - for a nature restoration project

In total, £185,666 in grant funding has been allocated in year 2 of the scheme. Five of the successful applications also met the criteria for the government's Rural England Prosperity Fund and will receive full capital funding for their community net zero infrastructure projects (see those marked *).

The list of successful projects was approved by Cabinet on 20 February following an evaluation and selection process.

The Rural England Prosperity Fund is part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a central pillar of the UK government's Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus

11 March 2024