Cllr Richard GrosvenorNEARLY £250,000 will be shared between 28 charities this year by East Staffordshire Borough Council.
The Burton-based authority will dish out £244,000 during the 2013-14 financial year — £6,120 more than it gave away in 2012-13.
Six more organisations will benefit from council cash in 2013-14 than in the previous year.
Council leader Richard Grosvenor said: “While other authorities have had to cut back on the funding given to local community groups, we have actually increased the amount we are able to give out and increased the amount of organisations that receive this funding.
“These dedicated groups of people, most of whom volunteer their time and skills, provide valuable and sometimes essential services to people in East Staffordshire and I am very proud that we are able to help more groups than ever achieve their goals and provide a valuable service to the community.”
Council chief executive Andy O’Brien added: “Funding community and voluntary organisations through ‘grant aid’ is an important part of the council’s work with the third and voluntary sector.
“These organisations provide essential services to a wide variety of residents and we are pleased we can offer increased financial support during these times of economic austerity.”
The council received a record number of applications for ‘grant aid’ funding during 2013-14. These applications were considered based on need and benefit.
The organisations that will receive money in 2013-14 are: Age UK Burton, Burton Albion Community Trust, Burton MIND, Burton and District YMCA, Burton Caribbean Association, Burton Youth for Christ, CREST Cancer Support, Derbyshire Dales Careline, East Staffordshire Citizens Advice Bureau, East Staffordshire Community Volunteer Service, East Staffordshire Rights and Equality Council, Harvey Girls, Home Start East Staffordshire, Katharine House Hospice, Princess Street Training, the Education and Enterprise Centre, Pulse for Music, Rakemark Respite, Re-Solv, the Sexual Abuse and Rape Advice Centre, SCALE, Vitalise, Art and Soul Friendship Group, Branston Community Fun Day, the Community Learning Centre, Donna Louise Children’s Hospice Trust, Harmony Group, the Friends of Burton Wurlitzer and the PBC Foundation.
