Travel SMART Green Community Funding Returns to Stoke And Stoughton

Published on: 16 Nov, 2013
Updated on: 24 Nov, 2013

A Surrey County Council funding initiative that gives thousands of pounds to community groups for green travel returns to Stoke and Stoughton on Saturday, November 23.

Residents in Stoke and Stoughton can have their say on how up to £115,000 of cash can be spent in their community on green projects at the Travel SMART voting event on Saturday, November 23.

Last time around, 15 local groups in the ward won a share of £70,000 from Travel SMART, which supports and promotes projects aimed at improving travel and stimulating economic growth. The projects all aim to make sustainable travel easier and more available to boost access to local jobs and employment skills.

As before, this year’s events will see groups pitching their ideas to an audience of local people, who then vote electronically to decide who wins grants of up to £10,000. A total of 10 projects are bidding for a share of £115,000 at the event, which is set to take place at St Peter’s Shared Church, 37 Hazel Avenue, GU1 1NP from 2pm to 5pm.

An electronic voting system is used. It’s great fun and brings the community together. Why not go along and find out more?

John Furey, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, said: “Travel SMART has money available for projects that help people get around and boost economic growth. That could include setting up community car clubs, cycle training schemes or improving a subway.

“This isn’t simply limited to improvements to transport. Other ideas like job clubs and volunteering schemes have focused on bringing employment services into communities to reduce the need to travel to access them.

“Local people are best placed to make decisions affecting their lives, and we’re putting power into their hands so they can change their communities for the better. Our aim is to put Surrey residents at the heart of decision making and truly harness the power of localism.”

This short film about the last round of funding events explains how they work.

To find out more, visit http://www.travelsmartsurrey.info/vote or call 03456 009 009.