John Whelan outside the Rainbow Pre School Group on the Peabody Estate, West Norwood

Conservative Councillors in West Norwood have used the new annual “Ward Purse” scheme to support two worthy community projects in Thurlow Park as well as a much needed pavement improvement scheme outside a shopping parade.

With only £12,000 to divide between up to three different projects and tight deadlines to meet, Councillors John Whelan, Irene Kimm, and Clare Whelan nominated the Rainbow Pre School Group, which operates on the lower Peabody Estate and offers affordable pre-school care. The pre-school group will spend the money on new fixtures and fittings.

Clare says: “We then worked with All Saints Anglican Church in Rosendale Road to provide support to equip its new Community Room which will be open to outside groups and has been worked up with help from Age Concern Lambeth.”

Finally, the remaining funds were used to top up the council budget to improve the pavement outside the Rosendale Road shopping parade opposite the Rosendale Gardens Estate.

Irene says: “This improvement project is popular with local residents and welcomed by the shopkeepers are traders who were fully consulted beforehand.”

Photo: John outside the Rainbow Pre School Group on the Peabody Estate, West Norwood

There are rules regarding the allocation of this money.  The main ones are:

• No more than three projects per ward;
• No award to be less than £1,000;
• Essentially, only schemes within Lambeth are permitted. We also have to avoid things that are already funded from other budgets;
• Only capital schemes qualify: i.e., no scheme with revenue implications is allowed. The best example there is CCTV (disallowed because of related running costs).
• Tight deadline – all paperwork needs to be completed and sent by us to the Council by mid February and the money spent by May.

Andrew Gibson, a Conservative councillor in Gipsy Hill ward, says:  “A typical example might be a photocopier shared and maintained by community groups.  Any expressions of interest or ideas would be most welcome.

“If we cannot accommodate a particular suggestion in 2009 it may be that it could be considered for a future year if the funding continues.  Alternatively, we could lobby for its approval from a different source of funding.”

CLICK HERE to view a copy of the form that councillors have to submit to the council.  This gives you an idea of the information needed from you if you make a bid.