During the 2023-24 Council year which ended in May, Witney Town Council pledged £98,000 to community groups and organisations for services or projects which benefited residents of Witney.
The Town Council has a community grants scheme and offers subsidised letting of its Public Halls and outdoor venues to help bring enjoyment and fulfilment to all its residents which provides huge social, as well as financial value.
Larger grants were provided to West Oxfordshire Community Transport to help fund the Witney town bus service, The Station Detached Youth Service, which was set up to support young people in the town, Home Start for very young children and their families, and to Witney Music Festival which supports local performers, businesses and provides a live music festival in the heart of Witney.
At the other end of the scale, gardening vouchers were provided to local schools for the Schools In Bloom competition and community gardening groups towards their outstanding small gardening areas. The Council also funded projects supporting Forest School sessions, and groups such as Witney Buttercross Scouts, Windrush Bike Project, Witney Town Band, Witney Museum, Witney Pride and many more.
The town council budgets for and provides opportunities for residents of all ages throughout the year. A full list of grants awarded can be found on the Council’s website.
Cllr Ruth Smith, Leader of Witney Town Council,
“The Town Council is uniquely placed to fund projects that try to fill the gaps in our community. We are particularly proud to fund meaningful innovations for our young people, our more vulnerable residents and our town’s nature and biodiversity. In the Council’s 50th year, look out for the rich and wonderful breadth of community groups that share their work in the forthcoming 50 for 50 grants.”
The Council has the power to award grants under the ‘General Power of Competence’ (Localism Act 2011) which gives eligible Councils the power to do anything that individuals generally may do,
More information on community grants can be found on the Council’s website
https://www.witney-tc.gov.uk/services/grants/
Witney Town Council has also recently launched a £50 for Fifty scheme, offering £50 grants to up to fifty smaller groups to mark the Council’s 50th Anniversary
