WELLINGTON Town Council handed-out a whopping £75,000-plus to local groups and organisations during the past year.

An annual report showed the council awarded £29,487.50 in grant support to 14 different groups in 2024/25, while a further £47,305 was given to four organisations in longer-term funding packages known as Service Level Agreements.

A report by the council’s chief executive and town clerk, Dave Farrow, said: “The council looks to support the wellbeing and success of the town by giving financial support to many local clubs, organisations and charities through its grant system.

“This enables a wide range of activities and events to take place which otherwise might not be possible.

“To be successful, applicants need to demonstrate that there is demand for the activity/event for which funding is requested, and that there will be a positive benefit to residents within the town.”

Councillors make decisions on applications quarterly via the council’s policy and finance committee. Mr Farrow added: “Applications are determined against the council’s grants policy and funds are directed to organisations needing financial support, and whose proposals are in line with the council’s over-arching aims and aspirations.

“Organisations receiving grants are expected to give feedback at the end of the year as the success of their activity or event.”

Grants awarded in 2024-25 were as follows: Best Before Food Store £1,500; Wellington Bus User Group £420; Wellington Carnival Committee £1,000; Wellington Majorettes £1,500; Beech Grove Primary School £2,842.50; Wellington Warm Place £2,400; Somerset Youth Theatre £1,000; Beech Grove Primary School £8,000; Grand Western Greenway Association £4,000; Life Education Wessex £290; Wellesley Park Primary School £1,085; Community Council Somerset £1,150; On Your Bike Recycle Ltd £2,600; Wellington Cricket Club £800; St John’s Parish Church £900.

The council also has three-year Service Level Agreements with organisations - which means they get a set amount of money each year during the run of the SLA without having to re-apply each term.

Service Level Agreement payments made in 2024-25 were as follows: Citizens Advice Somerset £5,600; Mind Somerset £5,565; Reminiscence Learning £17,000; Wellington Community Counselling £19,140.

Mr Farrow, in his report, said: “The SLA enables a financial commitment for a longer support period for these charities as they work to help local people.”

Representatives of a number of the recipients were in attendance at the town council’s annual parish meeting which was held on May 28. Each gave a short resume of their group’s activities over the past year.

Only five town councillors were in attendance – the Mayor Cllr Janet Lloyd and Cllrs Chris Booth, Andy Govier, Mark Lithgow and John Thorne.

They were joined by the council’s chief executive and town clerk Dave Farrow and newly-appointed community development officer Laura Batcha.

Cllr Mark Lithgow thanked the group representatives for attending the meeting and said it was worthwhile to hear from them and allows councillors to know where the authority’s funding had gone and what projects it had supported.