Funding bid to improve quality of life in town

Published on 11th October 2007 in News

Local businesses and organisations must get involved and improve the future of Snaith and Cowick.

That was the message coming from Snaith and Cowick Town councillors this week as they made a bid for local businesses and organisations to join together and apply for thousands of pounds worth of funding to improve the quality of life in the local area.

Snaith and Cowick Town Mayor Frank Townshend and Cllr Tom Johnson were last week present at a meeting in Gilberdyke organised to consider forming local action groups to help Howdenshire, Snaith and Marshlands benefit directly from the 'Leader' scheme.

The programme is funded partly by the British Government and partly by the European Union, and supports the improvement of the environment and countryside, the competitiveness of farming and forestry sectors, and tackles rural economic under-performance and deprivation through community economic development.

This means that some £300,000 a year could be available to spend on local economic, social, environmental, heritage and cultural projects for the next four years, or even longer.

The Snaith and Cowick area has previously been unsuccessful in its bids for funding from the scheme, and Cllr Tom Johnson told the Town Council on Monday that now was the time to get involved for the good of the whole community.

He said: "The more assistance we get from local businesses and organisations, the more chance we have of being successful.

"Local businesses should be the first in line but some just sit there and do nothing."

Cllr Richard Bridge added: "If you want a share of the funding, you have to do something. You have to put something into it to get something out."

But the pressure is on for a local action group to be formed and make an initial bid for funding from the Leader scheme - the deadline for applications is the end of October.

Any local businesses or organisations interested in forming an action group are urged to contact Snaith and Cowick Town Council clerk, Cath Hird, on 01405 862663, or Cllr Johnson on 01405 860691, as soon as possible.