Lyme council hands out grants (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Lyme council hands out grants

10:41am Thursday 25th June 2009

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IT’S pay day for organisations in Lyme Regis as the town council deals out thousands of pounds in annual grants.

But it’s dismay for others as the authority gets tough on groups who do not follow the rules.

Lyme Regis Town Council held a special meeting this week to decide how £16,300 should be shared between 23 local organisations, and was left with just £65 after splitting the cash.

The major beneficiaries were Lyme Regis Museum, Woodmead Halls Management Committee and Bridport and District Citizens Advice Bureau, who walked away with more than £2,000 each.

But the losers of the night were LymeArts Community Trust and the Town Mill Trust, who went away with nothing because they failed to show evidence of how they raise their own funds, a strict guideline in the council rules.

The museum asked for £4,707 to help with repairing the outside of the building and a new ‘People of Lyme’ display, and left with £2,700 because councillors decided the work was ‘essential to the town’.

The Woodmead Halls Management Committee asked for £10,000 and left with £2,500, granted on the condition it was spent buying new chairs.

The meeting heard that the CAB was under ‘terrific pressure’ and ‘desperate for money’ at its Lyme Regis outstation, and generous councillors decided to offer the full amount requested of £2,174.

Some organisations left with only a small fraction of what they needed, including Lyme Regis/St George’s Twinning Association, which requested £10,000 for a new bronze statue of Admiral Sir George Somers but walked away with just £1,000.

Also, the Lyme Regis Organ Appeal, which requested £5,000 to help pay for a new instrument at St Michael’s Parish Church, was given just £500.

Three organisations had grants underwritten and will not receive the cash if they make a profit.

Members said the books of Lyme Regis ArtsFest, the Community Players, and Operatic Society looked healthy at the moment.

LIST OF GRANTS

(Amount requested in brackets)

Axe Valley Ring and Ride service – £600 (£600)

Bridport and District CAB – £2,174 (£2,174)

InSPARation Youth Café – £500 (£1,000)

Lyme Bay Photographic Club – £250 (£800)

Lyme Regis ArtsFest – £200 underwritten (£200)

Lyme Regis Community Media Association – £250 (£1,800)

Lyme Regis Community Players – £500 underwritten (£1,000)

Lyme Regis Development Trust, Fossil Festival – £700 (£1,000)

Lyme Regis Development Trust Property Management – £800 (£1,000)

Lyme Regis Majorettes – £750 (£2,500)

Lyme Museum – £2,700 (£4,707)

Lyme Regis Operatic Society – £500 underwritten (£2,000)

Lyme Regis Organ Appeal – £500 (£5,000)

Lyme Regis/St George’s Twinning Association – £500 (£10,000)

Lyme Youth Arts, B Sharp – £300 (£600)

Lyme Youth Theatre – £300 (£500)

LymeArts Community Trust – £0 (£1,495)

LymeNet – £1,000 (£6,000)

St Michael’s Parish Church – £661 (£661)

Town Mill Trust – £0 (£100)

Victim Support Dorset – £200 (£602)

West Dorset YouthBank – £100 (£100)

Woodmead Halls Management Committee – £2,500 (£10,000)

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