Making it Local temporarily suspended to new applications - The Blackdown Hills
Making it Local temporarily suspended to new applications
( Last Updated: 22-03-2011 )
The effect of last year's government spending review has reached Making it Local, a local funding programme for small businesses and community groups, which has had to be suspended temporarily to new applicants.
Making it Local is a £2.4million fund which covers the Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and some surrounding towns and parishes. It is part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) which is currently managed by the regional development agencies but will transfer to Defra in July 2011.
On Monday 7th March the Making it Local team received news that the South West RDA has decided to suspend funding programmes like Making it Local while Defra review and reallocate spending.
Making it Local Chairman, Councillor Paul Diviani said, "We cannot approve any new applications at present, but we will still accept and advise on applications so that they can move forward quickly when the money is released in a few months' time. The Making it Local team are also working hard to help projects find alternative funding, so we would encourage people to continue to contact us."
Making it Local, which is hosted by Devon County Council, has already committed £1.2million to the rural economy of the two AONBs. Successful applicant David Willis said "We were able to make our village hall at Donyatt much more energy efficient, saving money and reducing our carbon footprint. Making it Local is a perfect example of the Big Society in action - communities finding solutions for their own needs. We hope that other communities can benefit from it in the future, as we have in Donyatt."
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