Move to unlock government cash (From Gazette & Herald)

Move to unlock government cash

RESIDENTS in rural communities in Ryedale are set to benefit from a council initiative designed to unlock tens of thousands of pounds from the Government.

Parish Transport Grants were introduced by the Countryside Agency at national level, enabling groups of residents to access funds providing them with practical solutions to transport problems.

But after a low take-up of the scheme, Ryedale District Council has decided to launch a funding system running alongside the national scheme, allowing rural communities to benefit from the help available.

Jos Holmes, Ryedale District Council's cultural services manager, said: "The Countryside Agency have this grant called the Parish Transport Grant and it's a really good source of money.

"There's up to £10,000 available if people can find 25 per cent of the contribution themselves.

"But the feeling is that it has not been taken up very well, and one of the thoughts was that people were not able to find that 25 per cent."

Mrs Holmes said that an extensive study had taken place, providing a review of transport issues in Ryedale and north east Yorkshire.

"By establishing the Rural Community Transport Grant, we are hoping to be able to remove some of the barriers to applying for the central government grant," she explained.

"The money will be there to act as match funding.

"Our rural transport officer, Peter Oxley, has been out talking to various parishes, suggesting ways they might benefit from the national scheme.

"Every parish is able to apply, as long as they offer evidence that they needed help - and we can help with that by providing them with a free transport needs assessment.

"It could be that young people can't get to sports activities on an evening, so we might be able to supply them with taxi vouchers.

"I personally think that parishes joining together is going to work better, because that way they will be able to bring more funding in."

Councillors voted unanimously to endorse the start of the rural community transport grant at their policy and resources meeting.

Councillor Alan Farnaby said: "I think that a lot of parishes have not really felt they could take up their parish grants because of the bureaucracy, they have been frightened off.

"There is a lot of money out there for transport, and I do know that parishes were getting confused."

He added: "In our area, around Sheriff Hutton, you would think we are well off for buses, and we are, but only during the day - after tea-time there is nothing."

Updated: 08:36 Monday, October 14, 2002