£20k in council grants to celebrate Queen’s Jubilee
A GRANT is to be made available to town and parish councils across the Staffordshire Moorlands to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has made £20,000 available to be divided between town and parish council to help with events.
Members of the ruling council’s cabinet members approved the grant aid when they met last week.
It will now mean that £1,000 is available to the three Moorlands towns and £425 to parishes.
A report to councillors by executive director, Mark Trillo, said: “In 2022, Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. To mark the Queen’s historic 70year reign, 2022 will see Platinum Jubilee celebrations throughout the UK and the Commonwealth as part of a year-long programme of events.
“As part of the activities put forward to mark the jubilee, the Government has moved the late May Bank Holiday and added an additional Bank Holiday to create an extended Bank Holiday weekend to celebrate this historic milestone from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June 2022.
“It is proposed that the council establishes a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee grant fund of £20,000 to assist communities to hold their own events and activities. Funds will be available to every parish/ town council in the Staffordshire Moorlands. It is also proposed that the council uses a range of tools to promote the anniversary and involvement by communities.
“A grant of £1,000 will be available for each of the three town councils with the balance of funds divided equally between the remaining parishes (£425 each).
“It is proposed that town/parish councils be advised of the funds available to them for which an application form will be available for completion by town/ parish clerks.
“Parishes may wish to make a joint application or the fund could be available to community groups where the town/parish council gives its support to the application. Applications would be assessed for final approval by the Portfolio Holder and must meet required criteria.
“The grant criteria will be that the grant must be used to hold an event or activity directly related to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee or for preparations leading up to an event on these days.
“Councillors may also wish to encourage community groups to apply for grants via the Councillors’ Community Initiative Fund to undertake commemorative projects.”
Speaking at the cabinet meeting, the council leader, Councillor Sybil Ralphs , said that the Queen was a role model.
She said: “What a fantastic achievement. The first British monarch to celebrate 70 years. She is such an example.
“To help celebrate the achievement we have set aside £20,000 for town and parishes to bid for. There will be £1,000 for each of the three Moorlands towns and £425 for each parish to help plan their celebrations.”
Councillors unanimously voted to approve the recommendation that the council establishes a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee grant fund of £20,000.