A NEW fund has been launched by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to improve community facilities.

Community and voluntary organisations can now apply for grants to enhance, modernise and improve their facilities using the £300,000 community infrastructure fund.

The fund can be used to improve their premises for users, increase income and reduce costs or make environmental improvements.

Grants of between £5,000 and £50,0000 are available to those applicants who are successful in the two-stage process.

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The deadline for the first stage of applications is Sunday, July 30.

The scheme is not designed to fund large new build projects but to enable existing facilities to better meet the needs of their communities now and in the future.

Cabinet member for communities, partnerships and inclusion Cllr John McKay said: “Supporting the borough’s community and voluntary sector is important to help them deliver services and activities that are so valued by our residents.

“As a council we provide funding to these groups and organisations to develop new projects, provide new or additional equipment and enhance the facilities where they take place. This new grant has been created to support improvements to the buildings by funding projects to extend, expand, improve or modernise them to achieve a wide number of benefits from increased usage to reducing carbon emissions and lowering energy bills.

“These facilities are the hubs of our communities and helping to fund changes to them enables our communities to thrive.”

More information about the fund criteria and application process is available on the council’s website at basingstoke.gov.uk/infrastructurefund or by contacting cif@basingstoke.gov.uk

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