In 2007 the County Council sold Exeter International Airport. The proceeds have been invested in a broad range of capital schemes across the county and have brought in significant amounts of additional funding. A Local Projects Fund was established to provide each county councillor with a capital fund to enable them to respond to local needs within their divisions, supporting projects that benefit the communities they represent.
The Investing in Devon Panel has recently decided to allocate each councillor a further £10,000 to their Local Project Fund for this financial year (2018/19). The £10,000 can only be granted for capital projects and therefore, cannot be used to finance any revenue aspects of a project or initiative.
This funding can be used to make capital grants to community groups, town and parish councils or other not for profit bodies or it can be used to support capital projects delivered by the County Council (for example, minor highway/footpath improvements). The intention is that the funding supports projects that are beneficial to local communities and furthers the Council’s strategic objectives.
The original criteria for the use of the Investing in Devon Funds as agreed by the Executive on 27 November 2007 still apply.
If you are unsure if your scheme qualifies as a capital project then please email investindevon-mailbox@devon.gov.uk with your query.
Please discuss your proposed Invest in Devon application with your local county councillor in the first instance and prior to completing the form.
Applying for a grant
Once your county councillor has decided to support your project then the Investing in Devon application form must be completed for all projects. Please ensure that the application form is fully completed by you and your local councillor. Forms must be submitted by email.
Councillors will need to ensure that all relevant sections have been completed before they sign and submit the form to investindevon-mailbox@devon.gov.uk. Incomplete forms will be returned to the member. Only fully completed application forms can be processed.
If members wish to develop an internal scheme, please ensure that the project proposal is reviewed by the relevant DCC officer and that their contact details are included on the front page of the application (under ‘Address of Applicant’).
Once submitted, the form is checked for completeness, eligibility and sufficiency of funds by the County Council’s Capital Finance team. Fully completed application forms are then submitted to the Investing in Devon Panel. If agreed by the Panel then formal approval to enhance the capital programme will be sought via the Cabinet Member for Resources and Asset Management in a ‘FIN letter’. Please note that this process may take up to 13 weeks.
Once formally approved, all applicants must enter into an agreement with the County Council with regards to the use of the funding. Before the grant payment can be released the external body must sign the agreement and produce evidence that the spend has occurred.