£80k council funds for Cluster groups

Councillors have approved, at committee level, to continue funding Ballymena's four Community Clusters for the next year at a combined cost of £80,000.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Feb 2016, 11:37 BST
The Braid. (Editorial Image)The Braid. (Editorial Image)
The Braid. (Editorial Image)

Mid & East Antrim Council’s Community Planning Committee agreed a proposal by Cr Audrey Wales to approve spending £20,000 per cluster for 2016-17, subject to action plans for service delivery being agreed.

Members were informed that the Clusters of North Ballymena, South Ballymena, Bann Maine West and Ballymena East Rural meet monthly in their respective areas and continue to progress a wide variety of projects including youth forums, Shared Future concerts, joint older people’s events, health events, Cultural Traditions projects and community pharmacy events.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They are also working together on implementing a Community Wind Farm Project supported by Council’s Enabling Scheme which, councillors were told, is increasing in momentum and is aimed at allowing the Clusters to be self-sustaining going forward.

Putting her proposal to the committee, Cr Wales said: “This is a very worthwhile project in Ballymena. It has brought communities together that would not normally have worked together.”

Cr Timothy Gaston added: “It’s important we show the support back to them”.