Cash rolls in for local projects

Stratford District Council has this month received more than $200,000 worth of funding from the TSB Community Trust and the Taranaki Electricity Trust.

At a meeting on November 11, outgoing chief executive Sue Davidson announced that the council had received letters from the charitable trusts approving various grant applications.

As per the Annual Plan, the council was in the process of drawing up plans for extending and modernising the library as part of the development in Prospero Place. It was budgeted that the capital cost would be $800,000, $500,000 of which was to be funded by a loan and the remainder by grants.

TSB Community Trust has approved $150,000 towards the project, "a great start", said Sue, who has since moved to a new job in New Plymouth.

The council also applied to the TSB Community Trust on behalf of the Percy Thomson Trust.

"It was discovered that the Percy Thomson gallery had a significant leak in the roof which would cost $45,000 to repair," Sue said. The trust has approved $40,000 for the repair project.

Funding was also received for the annual community project Summer Nights, a free community event aimed at youth and family that promote the parks and gardens in the district.

The Taranaki Electricity Trust has approved $15,000 each year for the next three years.

"It's fantastic to receive so much support from local organisations," Sue said.