The Parish Council has a a small budget which it allocates to the provision of grant funding to organisations which benefit the residents of the parish. Today, a request was received to sponsor a local youngster to train in the pursuit of his chosen sport. Unfortunately, the Parish Council is unable to assist with applications to provide grant funding for individuals and I thought it might assist by explaining why this is the case.

The Council can only award grants using certain legal powers; specific powers allow the Council to provide funding for specific activities or projects which Members feel will be of benefit to the Parish of Dawley Hamlets, e.g. grants to a sport club, for a music festival or towards community celebrations of special events such as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  Where no other power is available, the Council may decide to use its power under Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972, to award a grant where it feels that to do so will benefit some or all of its residents or some or all of the area.  The critical words are some or all – in both cases.  This means that grants to individuals are not feasible and grants where the activity would not obviously benefit the Parish of Dawley Hamlets are equally problematic and can not therefore be made no matter how worthy Members of the Council may feel the applicant might be.