Friday 2nd February 2024
Community groups and charities in Thetford are being encouraged to apply for a share of funding
from Thetford Town Council made possible because of a budget underspend.
A total of £25,000 has been made available for local groups to bid for as part of a Participatory
Budgeting process whereby members of the public get to vote and decide who receives a share of
the funding.
Participatory budgeting is a form of citizen participation in which citizens are involved in the
process of deciding how public money is spent. At a Town Council meeting on Tuesday 30th
January 2024, Councillors decided to allocate £25,000 to support local community groups in
recognition of the cost of living crisis and impact on finances.
The opportunity has been branded the ‘Unlocking Thetford’s Potential Fund.’
Councillor Terry Jermy, Chairman of the Council’s Finance and Personnel Committee said;
“Through prudent financial management we are in a very fortunate position to have a budget
underspend this year. We’ve made allowances for other cost pressures but felt that we wanted to
provide additional support for local good causes as we know there are many that undertake vital
work across Thetford and additional funding would be a tremendous boost to them.”
Community groups and charities will need to comply with the usual Thetford Town Council rules
regarding eligibility. Applicants will need to have a constitution and bank account and, if relevant,
will need to provide risk assessments and any insurances for the activities or work that they want
to undertake with the funding. The fund is now open, and applications must be submitted before
5pm on Friday 1st March 2024. The public meeting to determine the successful applicants will be
confirmed at a later date.
The Mayor of Thetford Stuart Wright, showing his support of the fund, said: “This new fund gives
an opportunity for Thetford Town Council to support local groups. We look forward to numerous
applications that reflect the diverse voluntary organisations in the Town.”
For more information and to apply, contact 01842 754247 or [email protected]
