Community fund bids worth £55,000 agreed by Arun

The council’s Policy and Finance Committee approved three of the four first round bids for the Arun Community Asset Fund, at its meeting on Thursday, February 8.

Bids for £20,000 from the Bognor Regis Youth and Community Club to fix their main building and Slindon Parish Council to replace old play equipment, and for £15,000 from Arundel Lido to replace its pool cover, were approved by the council.

A bid for £18-22,000 from the Bognor Fun Bus CIC Children and Youth Project was deferred after members felt the project did not provide enough financial details with their bid, and no members from Bognor Regis wards were approached for their approval of the bid.

The Arun Community Asset Fund was established by the council in October last year, to divide £100,000 between five £20,000 grants to support small one-off community projects, with any bids needing the support of at least 50 per cent of the ward members it is in.

Shaun Gunner (Con, Rustington East) said he was ‘uncomfortable’ approving the Fun Bus bid without a sufficient financial history to support it.

Jacky Pendleton (Con, Middleton-on-Sea) added money is ‘tight’ for the council at the moment, so they need to be sure bids are going to the right projects.

Roger Nash (Lab, Pevensey) said he supported the idea of the Fun Bus but agreed more details from the company were needed before approval could be given.

Around £25,000 is left in the fund, with members of the committee saying they were aware of at least four other projects preparing for the final bid.