COUNCILLORS have agreed that they will only look at grant applications four times a year.

Wellington Town Council has been extremely supportive of local groups, organisations and charities over the years by providing financial assistance in the form of grants.

But councillors recently suggested that they needed to look at the council’s policy because they were finding that they were handing out the entire budgeted allocation of funding for grants long before the end of the financial year resulting in them going over what they had planned to spend as they found it difficult to say “no” to applicants.

Members of the council’s finance committee agreed on April 17 that they should only look at awarding grants in April, July, October and January – whereas grant applications have previously been decided as and when they have been received.

A £15,000 grants budget has been allocated for the 2024-25 financial year and it is hoped the new policy will ensure councillors are more prudent when dishing out the cash.

Four grant applications were discussed at the April 17 finance committee meeting and councillors did not say “no” to any of them – awarding £4,420 in total. 

The Best Before Food Store received £1,500, the Wellington Bus User Group received £420, Wellington Carnival Committee was awarded £1,000, and the Wellington Majorettes gained a £1,500 grant.

It means that councillors now have £10,580 left to play with - time will tell if they stick to that or go over the grants budget once again.