The general purpose of Cork County Council's Amenity Grants Scheme is aid and encourage works and public amenity schemes for the benefit of residents in the three County health districts of Cork. The works that qualify for consideration for amenity grant schemes include the provision or improvement of amenities and the provision of community facilities.
Conditions
The facilities provided must be available for the use and enjoyment of the general public or of a particular age group in the community at all reasonable times. Amenities must be either free of charge or subject to moderate charges to cover management and maintenance costs.
Where planning permission is required for any proposed project, such permission must be obtained before the work can legally commence. The promoting bodies must have effective ownership of the lands, buildings and facilities affected.
The applicants must satisfy the Council that there are proper arrangements to ensure effective control and management facilities for amenities provided. They must also ensure continuity of responsibility for the availability of the facilities or amenities to the public and for their continued proper maintenance.
The Council requires the promoters to enter into a formal legal covenant to ensure that the amenity or facility will be properly maintained and used for the purpose outlined in the application form. Any buildings in use should have adequate fire insurance. The policy should have full indemnity to the Council.
The Council may require that the promoters have an adequate level of public liability insurance. This requirement is insisted upon where grants of €1269.74 or over are awarded. The Council may allocate a grant of no more than half of the total cost of the project. Payment of a grant will be made on receipt of a certificate from the County Engineer to the effect that the work has been carried out satisfactorily.
Allocations
Each county electoral area is given an allocation of funds for amenity grants in its own area. These monies are fixed annually. A list of grant applications for a particular electoral area is put before a meeting of that Area Council Roads Committee. The apportionment of the funds is decided upon by the members of the Committee. The proposed grants are then submitted for approval to a full meeting of the Council, and subsequently to the County Manager for his approval.
Amenity Grants totalling €82,533.00 have recently been approved and issued to Community Councils and Voluntary Groups, in North Cork.
How to Apply
Grants are usually allocated in July or August. Applications should be submitted before then, and preferably before the end of May.
Applications are handled separately for each of the County's three divisions, as follows:
1. North Cork -
Mr. Michael O'Connor,
Administrative Office,
Cork County Council,
Annabella,
Mallow,
County Cork.
Tel: 022 21123
2. South Cork
Mr. John Kennedy,
Executive Officer,
Cork County Council,
County Hall,
Cork.
Tel: 021 4285279
3. West Cork
Ms. Grainne O'Mahony,
Administrative Officer,
Cork County Council,
The Courthouse,
Skibbereen,
County Cork.
Tel: 028 21299.
