A CASH pot of £100,000 has been set up in Stratford district to address the climate emergency.
Stratford District Council’s Cabinet voted on Monday (November 6) to establish the Stratford Community Climate Change Fund.
The new fund will come from the climate change reserve and allow SDC to formally invest in initiatives proposed by community organisations to enhance local climate change agendas.
SDC leader Coun Susan Juned said: “The Stratford Community Climate Change Fund is an important step forward in our response to the climate emergency that this council declared in 2019.
“There is lots of excellent work going on within our communities across the district to help reduce carbon footprints and minimise the effects we all have on our fast-changing climate.
“As soon as the scheme launches, I hope to see many community groups applying for funding to make Stratford district, sustainable now and for the future.”
Town and parish councils, community groups and charities will all be able to apply for grant funding.
Coun Juned continued: “The Community Climate Change Fund will be delivered in a phased approach and launched annually. This allows lessons to be learned from earlier phases and this approach also allows for the criteria of the fund to be updated in line with any emerging policy changes and shifting priorities as the impacts of climate change continue to worsen.”
It is proposed that the fund will be launched at a local climate engagement event in the district to provide interested parties with the opportunity to formulate project ideas.
In 2019, SDC declared a climate emergency and announced three climate ambitions that it would work to achieve by the year 2030.
The council has an earmarked climate change reserve of approximately £1.2million to deliver its climate change ambitions.
