A £10,000 fund has been set up for local groups to apply to for help with maintaining public open spaces.
Community groups will be able to approach the Public Open Space Community Network fund, managed by the Melksham Area Board, for plants and equipment to enhance a public open space that they manage. Groups will also be encouraged to share pieces of equipment and skills between them.
The proposal for the fund was unanimously supported by councillors at last week’s Melksham Area Board.
Melksham community engagement manager, Peter Dunford explains, “Councillor Phil Alford presented a proposal to establish a capital fund to promote the maintenance of a network of public open spaces.
“Community groups can bid for money to pay for plants and equipment and use it to enhance their community public open space.
“There are already numerous groups about doing this sort of recreational work, so this project will aim to connect groups, to boost membership, to share skills, experience and materials. For instance it might be cheaper to hire a chipper to grind up logs, tree trunks, discarded Christmas trees etc. and to share the machine with other groups or parish councils. The area board agreed to invest £10,000 into this fund.”
