COMMUNITIES are set to benefit from a £2m boost to neighbourhood improvement projects across the city.
Extra investment in the councillor-led Community Investment Fund will see it double from £1m to £2m for spending on community projects including installing defibrillators, supporting community events and sprucing up community gardens.
Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council, said: “Councillors are uniquely well-placed to know what kind of small-scale projects and initiatives going on in their area deserve a boost from the council.
“By offering a further £1m for councillors’ community budget schemes we’ll be able to make sure the money goes a long way, making a difference all across Swansea.”
He added: “This kind of investment is part of our continuing commitment to the people of Swansea to invest in projects that matter to them, improving well-being and giving a lift to neighbourhoods that might otherwise feel overlooked.”
The extra money is a one-off boost for the Community Investment Fund. It comes on top of a £1m changing rooms improvement initiative announced earlier this year which will see facilities repaired, modernised and tidied up as community sports hubs available to the whole community.
A report to Cabinet next week is asking for approval for the extra investment.
The extra money for the Community Investment Fund would be available to all 73 councillors and is being funded from a one-off £9m of savings from last year’s council budget made possible due to prudent financial management.
Cllr Stewart said: “Since the end of the pandemic the council has allocated £7m for new community play areas for children, a multi-million pound commitment to a new generation of skate and BMX park facilities and £1m for changing room upgrades.
“Taken together they are the biggest investment in outdoor community play and sports facilities by the council in more than a generation.
“We’ve made this commitment because we saw just how important outdoor facilities have been to groups, families and individuals during the cost of living crisis.”
