Westmorland & Furness Council's locality boards have agreed their priorities for £300k of Strong and Connected Communities funding.

This fund, part of the £5m Priority Investment Fund, was divided evenly among the Furness, Eden, and South Lakes boards to enhance improvements in their respective communities.

Each of the boards met last week to agree on the allocation mechanisms, reflecting their diverse needs and priorities.

The Furness Locality Board approved a recommendation that applications for funding from the Strong and Connected Communities fund should be considered by the Priority Wards Working Group.

The group aims to create long-term plans covering key issues surrounding environment, education and health by mapping existing activities and identifying crucial partners.

The South Lakes Locality Board plans to create a funding stream by merging the Strong and Connected Communities fund with General Provisions funding.

This will support the Building Community Assets and Addressing Inequalities Working Group and the Climate Action and Increasing Biodiversity Working Group.

These groups will make spending suggestions to the Locality Board.

Eden's Locality Board approved a proposal to collaborate with eight Place Action Groups to unite key partners within electoral wards.

These groups will drive local priority setting, project works, and place shaping.

The Place Action Groups will represent eight Westmorland & Furness Council electoral wards in Eden, with each area being awarded £12,500 from the Strong & Connected Communities funding.

The next step is confirming the mechanisms for respective communities to apply for and receive this funding.

More details will be released by the Council in due time.

Westmorland & Furness Council’s Cabinet Member for Sustainable Communities and Localities, Cllr Virginia Taylor, said; “The Strong and Connected Communities Fund is designed to support priority improvements in communities that make a real and visible difference to the quality of life in local areas.

“The funds will be used to support the priorities identified by the Locality Boards in their Place Plans. This money is in addition to the delegated funding that the Locality Boards receive from the Council and it will support their communities to be strong, cohesive and resilient."