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It's expected that this years applicants for the various funding streams from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council should hear whether their applications were successful or not in April. The actions agreed at this months Active and Healthy Communities meeting need to be ratified at Mondays full Council meeting before notifications can be released.
One stream, Community sports facility funding has fallen short by more than £530k with the vast majority of grant applications losing out on essential cash.
The active and healthy community committee was provided with a report last week on the breakdown of £1million worth of community funding across 17 sectors for the year 2022/23.
The Sports Facility Capital Fund Financial Assistance was by far the best funded group with a budget of £214,000. However, only four from 13 final stage applications were successful after an inital 34 originally applied for funds.
Committee chairperson, Cllr Karen McKevitt highlighted the need for greater support of local sports facilities throughout the district.
“There will now be nine sports groups very disappointed by this,” said Cllr McKevitt.
“Much of the activities are run by volunteers who make a massive effort.
“We should ask if there could be further funding provided by the Covid recovery plan,” added the chair.
There was one successful group each in Downpatrick, Crotlieve, Rowallane and Slieve Croob.
The committee was told that there was already a need for a £60,000 plug for the budget, which was due to be reallocated from the legacy sports capital to the sports programmes and items themes.
The total £1m community funding pot was also criticised by Cllr Barra Ó Muirí who stated that the process for such Sports Facility Capital was now overly competitive with professionals brought in to complete applications.
Meanwhile, there was an attack on the council purse being closed off to almost 50 percent of summer scheme applications in local communities, with £16k spread amongst 16 groups and 15 groups rejected.
The programme for Community Capital Fund Financial Assistance was also poorly represented with only six applications for funding, none of which was successful.
Councillor, Jarlath Tinnelly was outraged at what he saw as an imbalance of the council’s community budget compared to its other expenses.
“What really sticks in my craw, is the inadvertent waste paid out to other areas of council, when £5k to some of these groups would be the be all and end all,” said Cllr Tinnelly.
“There is a really high level of failure in community capital and summer schemes.
“Is it that in the application process, that the bar is set too high for them, the smaller groups?” added the Crotlieve councillor.
Assistant director of community engagement, Janine Hillen who brought the report forward cited the need for all groups who failed at certain stages of the funding process to return to the department for feedback to generate stronger future applications.
Rest of Table of Funding
Sports Development Minor Capital Items-16 groups -total £73,400.
Arts- 13 groups-total £114,325.
Facilities Minor Capital Items- 11 groups- total £83k.
Community Engagement -36 groups-total £53k.
Events and Festivals – 23 groups- total £43,720.
Growing- six groups- total £8,500.
Good Relations -35 groups- total £52,250.
Irish Language -19 groups-total £52,650.
Local Biodiversity -six groups-total £9k.
Minority -13 groups-total £12,500.
PCSP- 41 groups-total £80,600.
Suicide Prevention and Emotional Wellbeing- 13 groups-total £12,750.
Tourism and Arts Events -nine groups- total £121k.
