The Director of Regeneration advised of an allocation of grant funding in the sum of £52,632 which was made available by the Department of Communities and Local Government on December 4, 2009 to re-open or re-use empty shops and proposed that the allocation of the money be made through the “Funds for You” process.

An amended recommendation was circulated to the Cabinet, and having been moved by Councillor Holbrook and duly seconded, it was -

Resolved – That bids be invited from all area forums and a participatory budgeting process used to decide on the best overall bids with money allocated to a small number of strong bids with a demonstrated evidence of need.