Support Available for Community Projects

You can receive funding with expert advice from West Lindsey District Coucnil's partners CAN, the Plunkett Foundation and Community Lincs. They have a strong background in supporting community and social enterprises that can help stimulate employment, community impact and volunteering.
The Community Assets Fund has up to £1 million to support local projects in West Lindsey.

Chairman of the council’s Prosperous Communities Committee, Cllr Malcolm Parish said:

“If you have an idea that can have a positive impact on the people of West Lindsey, we would really like to hear from you. At a time when money is much harder to come by for community projects – we hope you take advantage of this fund. Together we can all really make a difference to our communities.”

The fund is looking to support ideas that fall under the following four key themes:

1. Community halls - seeking funds for improvement work or equipment to increase their sustainability.
2. Social enterprise - businesses trading for a social purpose and looking to start or grow in West Lindsey.
3. Community-owned enterprises - run by communities who see a need for a service in their area and want to start and own a local business, like a shop, pub or post office.
4. Community sports groups - looking to increase their local impact by refurbishing venues or purchasing equipment to widen participation.

Kate Markey, Managing Director of CAN Invest, said:

“Do you have an idea for your community that meets one of these themes? There is different funding available depending on which theme you apply for and business support to turn ideas into reality. We hope this call out under these four themes will inspire the people of West Lindsey to think about ideas for their community.”

Register your interest or find out more about the fund by telephoning The Plunkett Foundation on 01993 810730 or visit www.communityassetsfund.org.uk.

Local Cricket Club Receives £250 CAV Grant

Nettleham Cricket Club have successfully applied for £250 from West Lindsey District Council's Community Action and Volunteering Fund (CAV), administered by Community Lincs, to purchase equipment to improve the quality of the pitch.

The Club was anxious to maintain the quality of the playing surface at Mulsanne Park, Nettleham and provide the best possible pitch. Current the club uses a scarifier to achieve an even bounce, the current equipment has blades that gently slice the pitch, but they recieved advice that they need blades which would also control and remove thatch.

In all 48 new blades will be fitted during March 2013 in readiness for the new season. The total cost is £285 with the CAV fund providing nearly 88% of the cash with the Club picking up the rest of the bill.

The change is expected to enable players to reacher higher standards in the sport, the improved surface will also lead to more consitent bounce, imporving safety.
Cllr. Giles McNeill, Conservative (Nettleham Ward) said:

"I am thrilled that Nettleham Cricket Club have been awarded this money from the Community Action and Vounteering Fund. As chairman of Nettleham Parish Council's Mulsanne Park Users Committee I have been urging the local clubs to apply for grants available at West Lindsey.

"I have also signed off an application by the club for support from the Councillors Initiative Fund for £500 to help with improving the practice nets. I am hopeful that they will meet the criteria for an award to be made."

Nettleham Through to the Final of the Best Kept Village Competition

Nettleham has made it into the final round of a best kept village competition.

The village is one of three to make the shortlist in its category (class three) for Lincolnshire’s Best Kept Villages and Small Market Towns Competition, which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary.

Nettleham, which is in class three, has been selected alongside Woodhall Spa and Langtoft as finalists.

Competition organiser Teresa Palmer said:

“In class three last years winners Woodhall Spa are defending their title against the two extremes of Langtoft who have never won before and Nettleham who are eleven-time winners.”

The winning community from this category is also being judged in an additional celebratory competition and could win £200 for floral displays. The winners will be announced in October.

Linelands' Site Community Land Trust Ruled Out by Parish Council

Nettleham Parish Council has decided not to pursue obtaining the Linelands site on All Saints Lane in Nettleham following the authority's meeting on Thursday, 21st June 2012.

A suggestion had been presented to the Council, in April, by Mr. John Mathers of Community Lincs, that a Community Land Trust scheme might be one way of ensuring that the Linelands site remains in use as a care facility.

Section 79 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 defines a Community Land Trust as:

A corporate body which 

1.  is established for the express purpose of furthering the social, economic and environmental interests of a local community by acquiring and managing land and other assets in order
   1.  to provide a benefit to the local community;
   2.  to ensure that the assets are not sold or developed except in a manner which the trust's members think benefits the local community.
2.  is established under arrangements which are expressly designed to ensure that:
1. any profits from its activities will be used to benefit the local community (otherwise than by being paid directly to members);
2. individuals who live or work in the specified area have the opportunity to become members of the trust (whether or not others can also become members);
3. the members of a trust control it.

It is understood that Longhurst Housing Association, which owns the neighbouring Church View facility, is considering options for the site. These include a physically joint new development to the existing scheme to allow for shared facilities. A split freehold would make this idea very difficult to pursue. Any scheme is in the very early stages, until Lincolnshire County Council commits to progress plans further with Longhurst they are not prepared to invest resources in potentially abortive pre-development work.

The Linelands building remains closeed and boarded up.