11/05/2011 - Permalink

Funding boost for Bishop’s Castle Town Hall project

Related topics: Community

Bishop’s Castle’s Town Hall renovation project has received another major boost after being awarded £35,000 under Shropshire Council’s Market Towns Revitalisation Programme (MTRP).

The funding will support developments within the town hall, and Bishop’s Castle Town Council is hopeful that it will help them to secure additional funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund to deliver a much larger regeneration scheme within the building.  Work is due to begin on site by September 2012.

The MTRP Informal Programme Board were initially concerned that the MTRP funding may not result in capital improvements to Bishop’s Castle Town Hall if the bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund was not successful, and deferred their decision for more information.

The application was brought back before the Board as an “exception” before its scheduled meeting in mid-April 2011, and the award granted so that the Heritage Lottery Fund could know as soon as possible that all £93,000 in cash needed for the development phase was in place and the project could start.

Councillor Mike Owen, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for economy and waste, said:

“I’m delighted that this funding has now been awarded to the town hall project.  This funding shows the council’s commitment to investing in our market towns, and I hope it will provide a real boost to Bishop’s Castle.”

Mayor, Councillor Keith Pinches, said:

“We are extremely grateful to Shropshire Councillors and officers who pulled out all the stops to help us get this grant so this phase of the project is secure.  Our gratitude also goes to our project officer Evelyn Bowles, who quickly rewrote the funding application for us.”

Under the MTRP, £500,000 is being made available to support Bishop’s Castle, plus the towns of Shifnal, Albrighton, Broseley, Highley, Ellesmere, Wem, Cleobury Mortimer, Craven Arms, Much Wenlock, and Pontesbury and Minsterley.

Each town can bid for a share of this funding, which is available to spend on projects that will provide an economic boost to the town.

Since October 2010 the Shropshire Councillors representing each of the 11 towns have been working with town councillors and the local community to identify and prioritise projects.  A proposal to apply for funding for the Bishop’s Castle Town Hall project was first put forward in January 2011.