Council community funding released early amid cost of living crisis

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council was due to release its community facilities funds in the autumn, but has now agreed to hand out the money early following a chamber plea.

A new bonus fund of £80k is also proposed for this year, to tackle poverty and social exclusion, including support for children’s summer schemes during school holidays.

Councillor Brian Higginson said: “Given that the Department for Communities’ community infrastructure fund is due to provide outcomes to first call applications next week, I believe it would be more beneficial for the council to release our fund at the same time as previous years.

“It will allow those groups that have been successful to apply to complete additional work to their halls if desired. It will offer those halls who applied for DfC funding and were unsuccessful, to proceed with works if successful to the LCCC fund.”

Community halls in the district provide a key resource for local people to host social gatherings often at low cost rates.

Over £800k was delivered last year through the council’s local investment programme fund which included the CFF, a sports fund, bursary scheme, community conversation and a DIY technical fund.

The local authority had planned for this year’s local investment budget estimated at £725k to be divided into two phases through the year.

Councillor Higginson added: “Even if DfC releases a further community infrastructure fund call later this year, and this has not been confirmed, those applications would not be assessed until early 2027.

“Given the need within community facilities that is too long, we could look at release for a further tranche of our funding in April to again compliment this fund.

“Therefore, I would propose that the LCCC community facilities fund be released as soon as possible.”

The proposal was seconded by Alderman Sharon Skillen saying the community money should be released “the earlier the better”.

A council officer confirmed that its local investment programme fund would now look to be delivered in one go instead of two phases through the year.