Greater transparency around community grants welcomed

A NEW system that offers greater transparency into how funds are allocated under the Indaver Community Grant Scheme in Duleek has been welcomed.

The April meeting of Laytown/Bettystown Municipal District was presented with the new strategy of corporate governance and received details of the proposed grant applications under the Community Amenity Project Scheme 2024.

The new system was introduced following a heated debate at last October’s Laytown/Bettystown Municipal District meeting where local representatives demanded a review into the committee.

A number of councillors previously claimed they were not being kept in the loop on proceedings and raised concerns that Indaver had failed to be held to account at council meetings in recent years.

Under the planning conditions for the Indaver waste to energy plant, the organisation is obliged to give money to the local community for every tonne that is accepted into the facility with that funding administered by Meath Co Council.

The fund is managed by the Community Liaison Committee and is designed to provide financial assistance to local community-based clubs and voluntary organisations for the development of community projects and works in the locality.

The meeting heard that the scheme received 39 applications this year with just over €298,000 in funds available for allocation. The applications were presented to the Indaver Committee on March 13th and April 4th.

The meeting was told that there was a new marking scheme for assessing projects with 1,000 marks available. A project must obtain 650 marks to be considered. Each project was assessed under certain criteria including if it was in the benefiting area, how it benefited the community and previous grants the groups may have been allocated.

Thirty-one projects in the area were successful in their applications for 2024 including sports clubs, drama and youth groups, animal and wildlife initiatives and local schools to name a few. The Laytown/Bettystown council members adopted the grant allocations for recommendation at May's full council meeting.

“It's fantastic to be able to see in black and white the marking scheme that is used,” said Fine Gael Cllr Sharon Tolan. “It is a fantastic fund to have in the area and it is great to see so many community groups benefit,” she added.

When Tolan asked if minutes were taken for committee meetings, Meath Co Council said although not available to the chamber last Thursday, minutes were taken from meetings with minutes for the second meeting yet to be approved.

It was also confirmed that conflicts of interests from committee members were noted and where they arose in relation to a project, that person did not participate in discussions relating to the same.

Labour Cllr Elaine McGinty requested clarity as to how funds were allocated with some projects outside of the designated area receiving funds whilst others that were in the benefiting areas being unsuccessful. She said some members of the public were unclear on this.

McGinty was told that not being within the benefiting area does not stop a project from receiving funding, however, they must demonstrate within their application how their project is going to benefit the Duleek area.