Malvern county councillors spending public funds on local groups and repairs

Councillors in Malvern Hills receive £10,000 a year for divisional funds, and council records list payments used for community repairs, equipment and local festivals.

Malvern Hills county councillors have divisional funds to support projects and groups in their areas. Each councillor is given £10,000 a year for initiatives that can include one-off purchases or support for charities, community groups and voluntary organisations. Council records list recent payments used for repairs, equipment and local festivals across the divisions. The figures were last updated on August 7 and do not include every divisional fund payment. Recent payments listed: - Councillors receive £10,000 each year in divisional funds and may use them for one-off items or to support community groups. - Martin Allen (Green) spent on replacement bell ropes for St Mary’s Church in Kempsey (£800), three scrabble sets for Upton library (£66), restoration of a sculpture in Upton (£900), batteries for a speed warning sign in Ripple (£100) and cooking equipment for 6th Worcester Scout Group (£500). - Chris McSweeny (Lib Dem) funded a disabled ramp for Suckley School (£1,000), contributed transport for 1st Leigh Guides (£250) and provided equipment for a visually impaired child at First Malvern Company Boys Brigade (£100). - Malcolm Victory (Green) gave We Are Men United CIC £1,000 for Community Hub equipment, £500 for an extra fridge at Octagon Community Centre pantry, £300 to Line Up Festival at Malvern Cube and £500 to Worcestershire Association of Carers for residents in Malvern Chase. - Natalie McVey (Green) contributed £1,000 to expand the Feast Theatre Festival learning disabilities programme, £1,000 to Line Up Festival, £1,000 to promote the Malvern Hills Wellbeing Hub, paid £1,019.08 for newspapers at Malvern library and gave £1,000 to the Great Malvern Festival of Stories for Children. - Justin Bowen (Reform) used £500 to replace laptops at Tenbury Primary School and contributed £1,000 to the Pulse Project at SENSE Tenbury CIC. Summary: The record shows divisional funds being used for a range of small-scale community projects, from church repairs and school ramps to festival and community hub support. The update on August 7 means more payments may have been made since then. Undetermined at this time.