Funding to be fast tracked to support York residents through the impact of coronavirus

Local ward funding is to be accelerated and used flexibly to help community organisations respond to local needs during the outbreak of coronavirus. 

This source of funding is ideal for supporting local charities, community groups and other agencies delivering the support to residents in need.

Ward Councillors are being encouraged to work with their communities to identify needs and solutions and use their ward budgets accordingly. The Council will be as flexible and as responsive as we can in approving expenditure, so long as it complies with the council’s financial regulations.

The Council will be able to process applications very quickly to ensure that funding can be with the relevant community organisation immediately for use to support local residents.

Any groups interested in applying for ward funding should go to www.york.gov.uk/WardGrantApplications to submit their application. To find out more, contact the Council’s Communities team, email: shapingneighbourhoods@york.gov.uk or telephone: 01904 551832.

Cllr Darryl Smalley, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Communities at City of York Council, said:

City of York Council is doing everything possible respond to the current situation, and the latest part of this is ensuring that every penny possible goes to those on the frontline in the coming weeks.

“Ward Councillors have been urged to consider how the ward budgets, particularly the Safer Communities Fund, can be deployed in a way that supports their communities through Coronavirus.

Ward committee funding will be as flexible as possible and any funds granted for date-specific activities will be extended until it is safe for them to be held.”

Grants for community groups offered by York Police

Local community groups are in for a cash boost, as North Yorkshire Police invites applications to its Police Property Fund.

North Yorkshire Police

Every so often, the police service auctions off property that has been seized as a result of criminal investigations, or that has been recovered from burglaries where no owner has come forward to claim the property back. 

The proceeds of the auction are used to support local voluntary and charitable projects.

Recent recipients of the Fund include Swaledale Seedlings Playgroup, Art Therapy Yorkshire, Riding for the Disabled in York, Ryedale Community Transport and Richmond Tri-Kudo Triathlon Club.

North Yorkshire Police has now declared the latest round of applications open, and is urging local groups to come forward with their bids by 10 April.

The applications will be judged by Chief Constable Dave Jones, and Julia Mulligan, the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire.

Speaking about the fund, Chief Constable Dave Jones said:

“Through the Police Property Fund we are turning the negative results of crime into a big positive for the community, and that is very satisfying.   We’re very interested in initiatives that could have a positive impact on local safety, but we also want to hear from groups that are creating opportunities for young people, or that help to bring communities together.”

Julia Mulligan, the Police and Crime Commissioner, said:

“Local communities are often best placed to know what support they need, and I want to empower those people to make positive changes where they live or work.  This fund gives residents an easy way to apply for money which can ultimately make a community feel much safer.”

Groups who want to apply for funding must meet certain criteria, and should apply on the North Yorkshire Police application form.  This is available at:  http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/ppfa