Grants for community groups

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From time to time, the Parish Council becomes aware of funding opportunities for local groups. We will try and keep this post updated with details so keep an eye on this section of the website.

Hook Moor Wind Farm Community Farm

£10,000 available every year for community groups in Aberford and Micklefield. For more information, click here.

Safer Communities Fund

The Safer Communities Fund was launched to help voluntary, community groups, charities and partners make their communities safer and feel safer.  Grants are awarded in line with the priorities set out in the Police and Crime plan.

  • Crime and re-offending is reduced
  • Anti-social behaviour is reduced
  • Victims and witnesses are supported
  • Local, regional and national threats, risks and harms are tackled
  • Criminal justice system is effective and efficient

Who can apply?

The fund is open to Voluntary and Community Groups, small Charities and not-for-profit groups, National Charities working in West Yorkshire, West Yorkshire Local Authorities and Statutory Agencies including West Yorkshire Police.

Contact

Full details, application form, guidance notes and terms and conditions can be found on the Police Crime Commissioner’s website under Safer Communities Fund: www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk

If you’d like further information, please get in touch:

 Phone: 01924 294000 (please leave a message and we will get back to you)

Email: safercommunitiesfund@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

 

It’s a plan – you can get involved!

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Councillor Keith Dunwell, a member of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Management Group comments as follows:

Over the past few years communities throughout the Country have been involved in  Neighbourhood Development Planning for their respective areas.  Aberford’s planning group (an extension of the Parish Council itself) was initially put together by Parish Councillors, who managed to fire the enthusiasm of a number of local residents, during 2012 and continues to this day – although with a drastically reduced membership.

The present day Group is made up of Parish Councillors, members of the local community, others with a lasting affinity to the area and a paid consultant (sponsored through grant funding).

Considerable progress was being made last year until our valued Consultant, Mike Dando, became unwell and had to leave us.  A replacement for Mike is currently being sought to guide us through to a satisfactory completion of the Plan.

The Group meets locally on the first Thursday of each month and more members are needed to help with the upcoming final stage of ‘The Plan’.  You are very welcome to join us – please get in touch for more details.

Flooding

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Leeds City Council now has a dedicated Flood Advice page – click here.

Supporters of Aberford Village Hall

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Would you like to support our Village Hall? But don’t want to commit yourself to attending a monthly meeting? Then why not become a Supporter of Aberford Village Hall?
The Supporters will be a group of people willing to provide advice or help, on an ad hoc basis, as and when their skills, knowledge, and time allow.
As a Supporter you will receive more frequent email updates on our plans for the hall, together with a summary of activities to which you may be able to contribute advice, expertise and/or time.
There will be no obligation (and no monthly meetings!), nevertheless it is anticipated that this group will provide great help in ensuring that one of our few community assets continues to play a key role in our village.
If you are willing to become a Supporter please email AVHall@outlook.com. Let us know if you have any particular ways you may be able to help, e.g. building expertise, building maintenance, painting, building a website, helping with grant applications, marketing, fund raising, general help, etc., etc.
You can also discuss with any committee member (listed on the Parish Council website), or call David Gluck (0113 281 2522) or Stewart Sims (0113 393 5043).
Many thanks in advance for your support.

Village Hall Update

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Maintenance
The fantastic news is that the Parish Council have agreed to make a grant available to enable some of the urgent maintenance tasks to be undertaken. As detailed in our October update we will now be able to address key concerns including the roof, external walls, doors, and kitchen windows. This essential work will enable the building to remain open.
We have also received a grant from The George A Moore Foundation which together with the grant from the Parish Council will enable us to replace the boiler and perform vital upgrades to the gas pipes and heating system. We are grateful for the support of the Parish Council and The George A Moore Foundation.
We aim to commence the projects in early 2016.
What is next?
Our next goal will be to tackle the floor of the main hall. We regularly receive feedback that this needs addressing, and will be considering options and funding possibilities over the next couple of months.
Longer term redevelopment
The income generated by the users of the hall is sufficient to pay for the basic upkeep of the hall (utilities, cleaning, minor maintenance); however is not adequate to fund some of the more fundamental remediation work required.
A number of development schemes have been proposed within the village that involve a contribution to the hall.  However none of the schemes are well advanced, may not obtain planning permission (primarily due to the developments being in the green belt) and so are unlikely to make any contribution in the medium/long term.
The hall is increasingly busy and at times we are having to turn away bookings. This is frustrating as the hall has two areas (behind the stage, under the stage) that could be bought into use if we had the funds to bring them up to an acceptable standard.
We would value input from members of the local community.
Supporters of the Village Hall
We have a launched a scheme called “Supporters of the Village Hall”. Our aim is to provide a simple way for people to be able to provide ad hoc advice, time and/or expertise to support the hall. Further details are on the Parish Council Website or please email AVHall@outlook.com. Please consider joining!

 

Aberford Village Hall
December 2015
Contact: AVHall@outlook.com

Village Hall

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At the December 2015 meeting the Parish Council agreed, in principle, to grant £15,000 to the Village Hall for essential maintenance works to the fabric of the building and provide a new boiler.This follows a request from the Village Hall Committee a couple of months ago. More background is provided on their dedicated page here.

The Parish Council considers that this will be money well spent to help ensure the continued provision of this valuable and essential community asset.

 

 

Village Hall Funding

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Viability Renovation

As the hall approaches 100 years of use, demand for space is growing with some users having to be turned away due to the lack of facilities. In addition, urgent action is required to keep the hall safe, viable, flexible and inviting for our community.

A number of development schemes have been proposed within the village that involve a contribution to the hall; however none of the schemes are well advanced and are unlikely to make any contribution within the next couple of years.

The income generated by the users of the hall is currently sufficient to pay for the basic upkeep (utilities, cleaning, minor maintenance). However it is not adequate to fund some of the more fundamental remediation work required. Indeed a grant was required to fund the recent, vital, upgrade of the toilet facilities.

Following advice, four packages of work have been identified as the immediate priority:
1. External Remedial Work
2. Main Hall
3. Green Rooms
4. Additional Space for Hire

The external work is the priority – for example leaks due to a lack of pointing and poorly maintained guttering has resulted in numerous problems within the building.

Funding

As a ballpark figure we would expect each package of work to cost in the region of £10-£15,000. Thus we believe we require in the order of £50-60,000 in total.

We are asking the Parish Council to fund the key external remedial work. Whilst we procure formal quotes we would hope that the Parish Council can provide an in-principle decision for approximately £15,000 of funding during October. This will ensure that the hall can continue to be safely utilised, with the internal improvements to follow.

The Hall Management Committee will then attempt to secure grants from other sources to fund the three additional packages of work.

Note that wherever possible we intend to obtain a quote for each package in entirety (apart from the main hall). This will significantly reduce the time required to manage the refurbishment.

If any one from our community would like to volunteer to manage one of these packages as a discrete project then we would be extremely grateful.

Any other offers of one off or ongoing expertise, skills, funding, or quoting for work would also be received with gratitude.

Contact AVHall@outlook.com

LCC Core Strategy / Our Neighbourhood Plan

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We have been advised by LCC that the proposal to build a new village to the east of Bramham, on land owned by Leeds University, may not now go ahead. This leaves a shortfall in LCC’s housing allocation for the Outer North East Leeds Area of some 3000 dwellings which might have been built there over the next 12-15 years. Residents will be aware that. under current LCC proposals no land around Aberford is scheduled to be released from Greenbelt for housing.

From the information gained at the outset of the Neighbourhood Planning process it is evident that  residents value the Greenbelt and see it as an essential element in protecting our “small community” status. To date, LCC have agreed. We will have to wait and see however what (if any) proposals LCC come forward with to replace the housing shortfall before considering a response. There is more than just the number of dwellings to consider though. The village school is currently full (and with a waiting list) and this is one infrastructure issue that can no longer be ignored.

More clarity is required regarding LCC’s strategic intent. We see no reason however to allow piecemeal development on Greenbelt, in the meantime, regardless of any “incentives” offered. In particular, it is important to us that, should LCC make an approach, full consultation take place with parishioners, so that all views and all options are explored.