On the 18^th of October the county council launched its £1.5 million Levelling Up Together community grant scheme.

The funding which will be targeted at ten communities in the county where there are higher levels of financial hardship and people that need extra support.

Kingsholm and Wotton is one of the ten wards that could benefit. This follows on from motion 881 put to the county council in September 2021 by the Liberal Democrat group, which led to a levelling up conference.

Jeremy Hilton who seconded the motion said: “The upper limit for each application is £150,000, but there is no lower limit. The deadline for submissions is the 27^th of November.

“I do encourage community groups and others to put in bids for community projects that will help improve the life opportunities of people who live in Kingsholm & Wotton.

“Each application requires the support of the local county councillor, which is me in the case of projects proposed for Kingsholm & Wotton. Do get in touch.”

More information can be obtained at:

www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/your-community/levelling-up-together

Applications must demonstrate how the funding will contribute to Gloucestershire County Council’s ambitions to level up:

• By 2030, the gap in Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) between local areas where it is highest and lowest will have narrowed, and by 2035 HLE will rise by five years.
• By 2030, well-being will have improved in every area of the UK, with the gap between top performing and other areas closing.
• By 2030, the number of primary school children achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths will have significantly increased.  In England, this will mean 90% of children will achieve the expected standard, and the percentage of children meeting the expected standard in the worst performing areas will have increased by over a third.
• By 2030, the number of people successfully completing high-quality skills training will have significantly increased in every area of the UK.  In England, this will lead to 200,000 more people successfully completing high-quality skills training annually, driven by 80,000 more people completing courses in the lowest skilled areas.
• By 2030, pride in place, such as people’s satisfaction with their town centre and engagement in local culture and community, will have risen in every area of the UK, with the gap between top performing and other areas closing