Plaistow and Ifold Parish Council’s annual budget includes a sum of money for grant awards. The Grant Awards Policy has been drawn up to demonstrate a fair and transparent process and sets out the procedure the Council will follow when making its decision.

A grant is any payment made by the Council to an organisation for a specific purpose that will benefit the Parish, or residents of the Parish, and which is not directly controlled or administered by the Council.

Plaistow and Ifold Parish Council does not currently have the General Power of Competence (ss. 1 – 8 Localism Act 2011). Therefore, its Grant Awards Policy operates either under a specified legal power, or under s.137 Local Government Act 1972, as amended by s.36 Local Government & Housing Act 1989. Additionally, the Policy complies with the Equality Act 2010 and data protection legislation.

Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires that such grants must be “in the interests of or will directly benefit the area or its inhabitants, or of part of it, or of some of it” and “the direct benefit should be commensurate with expenditure.” The law also limits the total amount of annual expenditure the Council may incur on such payments.

Any organisation wishing to apply for grant funding must fill in a grant application form and submit it to the Clerk.

The Council awards grants, at its discretion, to organisations which can demonstrate a clear need for financial support to achieve an objective which will benefit the Parish by:

  • Providing a service
  • Enhancing the quality of life
  • Improving recreation and/or sports
  • Improving the environment
  • Promoting the Parish of Plaistow and Ifold in a positive way

Plaistow and Ifold Parish Council will not normally make grants to organisations outside of the Parish unless there are direct benefits to the Parish, or its residents. Applications should be made for ‘one-off grants’ that will not result in any recurring expenditure for the Parish Council.

PROCEDURE

  1. Grant requests must be on a completed Plaistow and Ifold Parish Council Grant Application Form.
  2. All requests must include the necessary supporting documentation listed on the application form.
  3. Completed application forms and documentation should be sent to the Parish Clerk (email or post).
  4. Applications will be considered biannually at a meeting of the Council's Finance Committee, in accordance with the Grant Awards Policy and will only be awarded by resolution of the Committee.
  5. Grant awards are subject to the availability of sufficient funds.
  6. Grant awards will be made in a single payment; or released in stages, upon authorised request, as work proceeds depending on the nature and size of the project


Should you require any further information please contact the Clerk - clerk@plaistowandifold-pc.gov.uk 



More information about the Parish Council's annual grant awards can be found here