Community and environmental projects set to receive more cash
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has agreed a major funding round of grants to boost local businesses and support community initiatives.
The council secured £327,146 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which gives the green light for key initiatives to continue, driving economic growth and social development across the borough.
The funding will be used to build on existing programmes that provide vital support for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and community groups. These initiatives have already made a substantial impact by offering financial assistance, training, business support and resources that help the local economy thrive and community organisations flourish.
Areas of investment will include:
- Community development grant scheme £76,600 – This scheme has so far helped 43 community initiatives across the borough to realise their plans for growth and help some of the most vulnerable people in our area.
- Community Enforcement Team £45,000 – This team, established last year, will continue to focus on tackling anti-social behaviour and related issues, helping further reduce reports in the borough which last year saw the biggest drop in Kent.
- Tonbridge town centre improvements £50,000 – The council will continue its commitment to support the multimillion-pound redevelopment of the area near Sainsbury’s with cash earmarked for lighting on the riverside walk between Town Lock and Vale Road, providing safer access for the public.
- People and skills fund £35,000 – This will be the second round of this grant scheme, which aims to help some of the most disadvantaged in the borough into employment through training and volunteering.
- Green Business Grant Scheme £30,400 – Help for local organisations to lower their carbon emissions. It’s already funded 19 projects including, solar panel installation, electric vehicle charging, air source heat pumps and improved insulation.
- Decarbonisation Plans £30,000 – Last year £123,000 of UKSPF was used for improvements at Larkfield Leisure Centre. Support for this initiative will continue, including the replacement of the inefficient fossil fuel boilers with a new air source heat pump.
- West Kent Business Support Programme, £25,000 – This scheme has supported over 1,000 businesses across the area, including 100 businesses receiving 1-2-1 mentoring, 60 businesses receiving a small business grant and over 900 attending workshops, seminars and the West Kent Expo events.
- Youth Provision £18,000 – A range of outreach work and activities has engaged over 1,100 young people in the borough, with a focus on Snodland, Trench and East Malling.
- Mobile CCTV £4,000 – Specialist cameras have been used to target anti-social behaviour hot-spots across the borough since 2023, contributing to a drop in reports of anti-social behaviour and an increase in enforcement of Public Space Protection Orders in the borough.
Funding was approved by council members last night (4 March) and will commence from April 2025.
Cllr Des Keers, cabinet member for community services, said: “This is great news for the borough and testament to our commitment to invest in the people and organisations that help our communities thrive.
“It means that we can continue to help hard working businesses, local schemes and charities with grants that we know are making a difference to thousands of people every day.”
Sustainable food education charity, Communigrow (volunteers pictured), based in East Malling, provides space and facilities to help people learn about growing food using environmentally friendly methods, while also improving mental and physical wellbeing. The charity has benefited from the Green Business Grant Scheme and Community Development Grant Scheme.
Communigrow Community Engagement Manager, Tamsin Gillard-Moss, said: “We successfully applied for grants through Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council which have been transformative for our charity. They’ve allowed us to really accelerate our plans for growth this year which means we’ve been able to support more local people and community groups. We’d definitely encourage other organisations to apply.”
Read more about our grant schemes and follow us on Facebook or X for details of when you can apply.