THE ‘New Homes Bonus’ community grants scheme is now into a second year of rollout across the Torridge district.

The previous success of the scheme has meant this year alone over £334,000 will be allocated to worthy, community based projects both large and small. Added to the previous year’s total this will have resulted in over £750,000 being handed out to over 100 projects. The range of schemes has been quite diverse including the Holsworthy Rural Community Transport team, which received money for its shuttle service in the town and Bradford Primary School, which used its grant to build an outside learning area.

This year district councillors were also allocated £2,000 of personal grant money to financially support projects of their choice to try and make an even bigger impact.

Celebratory plaques and stickers will identify all the projects supported by the council but members hope the legacy will be in the benefits these projects bring to communities for years to come.

Leader of Torridge District Council Cllr Jane Whitaker said: “We knew that putting money back into out communities was the right thing to do and found ourselves able to do this through allocating a substantial amount from the local governments’ ‘New Homes Bonus’ pot.

“The funding was available as a consequence of building the housing allocation assigned to the district. The scope and variety of the projects we’ve been able to support has been a really rewarding experience for all the members closely involved in supporting them.”