Public Vote on Grants for Folkestone

£15,000 of grant funding was allocated by members of the public at the Tower Theatre, North Road, Folkestone, on Saturday.

Tim Prater, Liberal Democrat Kent County Councillor for Folkestone West, held the ‘You Decide’ event. Each applicant had 3 minutes to put forward their case before a public vote decided where the grants were allocated.

Emailing From Under the Stone, Cllr Prater wrote that “the day seemed a great success. Of the 3 pilots in Kent held to date, I'm told ours was the best attended with around 100 people and we hope to build on that in future.”

Cllr Prater stated in a press release (http://www.shepwaylibdems.org.uk/news/001668/you_decided_folkestone_west_residents_award_grants_for_local_projects.html) “With 11 projects bidding for a total of £15,700 on this occasion it meant the ten top rated projects got all they wanted, and the 11th received £700 less than they bid for.”

The projects which received the full backing they bid for were:

• The National Autistic Society - £2,000
• The Folkestone Gurkha Nepalese Community - £1,560
• Folkestone and Hythe Sea Cadets - £1,300
• Folkestone Invicta Youth Football - £1,500
• St Georges Youth work - £1,300
• Folkestone, Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society - £1,270
• Church Street Project - £1,500
• 4th Cheriton Guides - £750
• Skillnet Group CIG - £1,518
• Sandgate Chichester Memorial Hall - £1,000

Looking forward to next year Cllr Prater promised improvements to the format based on feedback from the day. "there was lots of feedback on how to improve the events in future. These included an exhibition area to allow projects to give more information and answer questions, and looking for other bodies that have grants available to come along to speak to bidding. We'll certainly look to make that happen next year.”