As agreed in the Budget for the financial year of 2025/26 we will be continuing with the Community Ward Fund. This year we have allocated £90,000, up from the £72,000 we provided last year, to support our Ward Councillors and Community Partnerships in continuing to improve your local area.

This fund has been made available to help with replacing, repairing, and improving a number of council and community owned assets across the Bay.

The Community Ward Fund can be used to:

  • replace or repair council assets, for example bins, benches, street signs, fencing, play equipment
  • refurbish or replace community assets, for example community noticeboards
  • contribute to community projects, for example Friends of Parks groups, Community groups
  • contribute to community events or activities

The fund is allocated on the basis of £2,500 for each Councillor. A ward with two councillors will receive £5,000.

Ward Councillors, Community Partnerships and Community Builders will work together with their local communities and the SWISCo to gather ideas of projects and proposals that this fund could be used on.

You are encouraged to contact your Ward Councillors and Community Partnership by the end of July 2025 to make suggestions for the allocation of the funds.

Timeline 

  • Beginning of June 2025 – Community Ward Fund Form distributed to Ward Councillors and Community Partnerships.
  • By Thursday 31 July 2025 – Completed forms with lists of all the projects or grants to be returned. Proposals will then be reviewed by Community Engagement and SWISCo.
  • By Friday 15 August 2025 all forms with agreed works and costs will be returned to the designated Community representative. Once the form has been returned no changes to the works, or new works or projects can be added.

Any payments to community groups, projects and partnerships will then be made.

SWISCo will then programme in any work for them and will start from September 2025 onwards. 

What the Community Ward fund has funded

Below is a list by ward of the projects, groups, and events that this fund has provided for in 2024/25.

Barton with Watcombe

  • Funding towards Community Christmas Day lunches
  • Rent contributions for a local bereavement support group
  • Funding towards Coffee and carvery group events

Churston with Galmpton

  • Treatment and repair of benches in Hookhills, Cherrybrook, and Broadsands Park Road
  • Cleaning and improvement of local coastal footpaths

Clifton with Maidenway

  • Cleaning and improvement of Stanley Gardens path
  • Introducing Basketball hoops and netball posts in Stanley Gardens and Stanley Primley Fields play areas

Cockington with Chelston

  • Commissioning Artwork and murals on Torquay sea front and King’s Gardens shelters
  • Funding towards new flower beds at Torquay train station
  • Funding towards children’s play days and community events in Cockington and Chelston

Collaton St. Mary

  • Replacing dangerous fencing in Collaton St Mary

Ellacombe

  • Contributions towards the Community Youth Project
  • Funding towards the start of a community magazine

Furzeham with Summercombe

  • Funding towards the Male Orpheus choir
  • Funding towards the Brixham Pirate Festival
  • Funding towards Brixham Guides
  • Enhancing facilities at Brixham Rugby Club, Brixham Football Club, and Brixham Baptist Church

Goodrington with Roselands

  • Refurbishment of Goodrington South toilet block
  • Boarding up of the Spanish Arches
  • Funding towards a local children’s ‘Grow Wild’ project

Kings Ash

  • Hiring of children’s play equipment for community events

Preston

  • Purchasing a new community noticeboard
  • Replacing equipment for local volunteers

Roundham with Hyde

  • Contributing to fundraising efforts of the Victoria Park skate park

Shiphay

  • Funding towards launching a community newsletter
  • Improvement work to the entrance of Kitson Park
  • Contributing to Mid-summer and Christmas community events

St. Marychurch

  • Funding towards  maintenance of Christmas lights
  • Small grants to local community groups
  • Supplying materials for volunteers

St. Peters with St. Marys

  • Contributing to community lunches
  • Refurbishing the seats at Brixham theatre
  • Rent for a local support group
  • Holiday activities for children with autism
  • Maintaining the trailer at the Heritage Sailing Foundation

Tormohun

  • Funding towards local Christmas lights
  • Funding towards school events for Young Carers
  • New information boards at Torquay harbourside
  • Commissioning a mural on King’s Gardens

Wellswood

  • Funding towards a Christmas street party
  • A wooden shelter and fire pit for Warberry Primary School
  • Refurbishing a local flower garden
  • Repairing the Snelgrove Memorial fountain
  • Reinstating coping stones on wall at Wellswood Green (picture inset below)
  • Commissioning a mural on Walls Hill