Community grants

Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF)

Shropshire County Council has administered the Shropshire Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) on behalf of Defra for the past three financial years, granting over 40 projects county wide over £300,000 to achieve a wide range of environmental and sustainability outcomes. Total project value over the three years has exceeded £1 million.

We are administering the fund for financial year 08/09. This grant monies is to eligible groups under Objective 4 of the scheme – “compensating communities for the effects of aggregates extraction”.

Grants have been allocated to a number of projects for this financial year, however due to a shortfall in number of suitable applications we are opening the application process for a second round of funding for the remaining £25,000.

We are now asking for applications for this second round of funding. If you would like to apply for this fund please download all attached documents and guidance notes, the closing date for applications is noon 25 July 2008, we are unable to accept applications after this date. Please note only projects based in ALSF areas in the Shropshire area excluding the Telford and Wrekin will be eligible for this round of funding.

For information on previous projects funded by ALSF in Shropshire and other affected areas in England please follow the link to the Defra ALSF website on this page.

Current projects include:
Shropshire

• Llanmynech Heritage Access
• Pontesbury All Ability Trail
• Light Fantastic Community Lighting Trailer
• Treflach Farm and Shropshire Wildlife Trust Forest School(tbc)
• Rhydycroesau's 100 Acre Wood
• Extension North Shropshire Furniture Scheme Outreach Service
• Wood Lane Nature Reserve Composting Toilet and Facilities
• Much Wenlock Railway Walk(tbc)

Telford and Wrekin

• Our Community; Our Environment
• Coppice training for volunteers

For information, the map of eligible areas and guidance notes are available for download on this page. If you are considering applying for funding, please ensure your project is within an eligible area shown on the map and meets all the criteria laid out in the guidance notes. Projects are appraised and scored on the criteria outlined in the guidance notes before selection and approval by a board.

Funding is available in 2 categories, upto £20,000 with evidence of 40% match funding or upto £3,000 with no match funding. Projects who have funding allocated must be aware that, funding may not be carried over from financial year 08/09 to financial year 09/10. The deadline for final claims for funds will be 18 February 2009.

The Shropshire ALSF logo is available for download on this page for use by successful applicants on promotional material.

Shropshire County Council is not currently able to comment on the future of the SALSF after financial year 08/09.