Villagers are being asked how they want £5,490 planning gain money to be spent

Chardstock residents, voluntary groups and other organisations are being asked for their ideas on how to spend funding totalling £5,490 on sport activities in the parish.

East Devon District and Chardstock Parish councils are inviting everyone in the village to send in their ideas on how to spend the money.

The funds – Section 106 money - have been collected by East Devon District Council from recent housing developments in the parish and the council has a clear policy of ensuring that residents and parish organisations should choose how the money is spent.

Ideas can include all sorts of outdoor sports from an outdoor gym to works being carried out at a cricket or football pitch.

Proposals must be for:

* New outdoor sports facilities or to improve existing outdoor sports facilities.

* Permanently sited sports facilities and equipment. For example football goals, courts or training areas, so not for movable equipment like cricket bats, kayaks or tennis rackets.

* Sports facilities or equipment that is open and accessible to the community. A small fee may be charged but it must be affordable.

Funding cannot be spent on buildings, indoor facilities, professional sports grounds or golf courses.

If you have an idea but are not sure if your project would be eligible, you can find out by contacting East Devon District Council’s Section 106 Officer at stallack@eastdevon.gov.uk

All proposals must be submitted to Chardstock Parish Council by September 6 2017 at the latest. Please send your name, your contact details, information on what your proposal is and an estimate of how much funding you want to apply for if you have one. We can then contact you for further information if we need to.

Please send ideas to the parish council by e-mail at chardstockpc@gmail.com or you can post it to Parish Clerk, Chardstock Parish Council, Plumtree, North Street, Axminster, Devon, EX13 5QF.

Once the parish council has received the proposals it will work with East Devon to make sure they are eligible, affordable and possible. Residents will then be given a chance to look at all the ideas that can happen and vote on them. The eligible ones that gain the most votes are where the money will be spent.