A BOROUGH has set up two special funds to give small grants to residents and groups in need with the first two cash sums already allocated.

Hyndburn Council's Cabinet on Wednesday approved the creation of a Leader's Budget of £20,000 and a Community Chest of £80,000 for the purpose of making grants to community groups in

2023/2024.

They will be funded from a unexpectedly large revenue budget surplus.

The £20,000 for allocation by council leader Cllr Marlene Haworth will be for use at her discretion for items including support for key service providing groups under financial pressure, support for events for the general benefit of the borough, and to pay for additional council services that enhance Hyndburn as a nicer place to visit.

The intention of the Community Chest is to create a budget of £80,000 with the funds are shared equally throughout the borough with £5,000 allocated to each of the 16 wards.

Charities and community groups across all wards will be invited to bid for grant funding from the Community Chest.

The intention is that these grants will be awarded to registered and well-established organisations.

The new funds were welcomed by council Labour group leader Cllr Munsif Dad.

Cllr Haworth revealed she had already decided on the first two allocations from her fund.

She said: "The first is to provide help for Churchfield House in Great Harwood which is having a massive problem with its drains.

"The second is for a resident in Belthorn who is having a terrible problem with vermin and cannot afford the fees for the council to tackle it."

Announcing the two new funds the council's deputy leader and finance boss Cllr Peter Britcliffe said: "I am delighted we have found a way of supporting out community groups the the creation of the £80,000 community chest.

"This is a really exciting scheme and I am really looking forward to hearing from residents, councillors and community groups for projects they would like to fund in their area.

"I am confident the benefit we will get from community initiative and community pride will repay this investment ten times over.

"The good news is that we have managed the budget in an excellent manner up until the end of March 2023, and instead of an overall underspend of £129,000, there is now a surplus of £345,000.

"Inflationary pressures have been offset by increases in interest rates and shrewd investment from our team that have meant greater returns and a fantastic £216,000 more than was reported to the January cabinet."