Communities benefit from grants

The historic city of Ely is set to benefit from more than £300,000

Twelve communities across East Cambridgeshire are set to benefit from more than £2m from the local council.

East Cambridgeshire District Council has negotiated the funds from developers which have put forward large-scale housing schemes.

Grants go to Burwell, Haddenham, Ely, Little Downham, Littleport, Little Thetford, Mepal, Soham, Wilburton, Sutton, Swaffham Bulbeck and Witchford.

District-wide leisure and Country Park projects will get £858,000 from funds.

Funding for communities Burwell - £103,000 Ely - £302, 000 Haddenham - £95, 000 Little Downham - £8, 000 Little Thetford - £1, 000 Littleport - £293, 000 Mepal - £18, 000 Soham - £172, 000 Sutton - £148, 000 Swaffham Bulbeck - £12, 000 Wilburton - £11,000 Witchford - £54, 000

Councillor Fred Brown, leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "When we announced we had identified £2.2m in contributions from developers that we wanted to spend, we knew this windfall had to be spent carefully.

"This is why we are working closely with towns, villages and parish councils to ensure the money we received in the growth years helps us now times are more lean.

"There is a huge range of projects which will now benefit from the money from the scout hut in Soham, resurfacing footpaths in a cemetery in Cheveley, planting in Ely and lots more besides. All of schemes will be able to do something significant to improve their local community."