Path Improvement Grants Scheme
The Paths Improvement Grants Scheme aims to help people make improvements to countryside access in their area. Around £60,000 is available directly for community led projects. Wiltshire Council can also help with bids to external organisations, so additional funding may be available. PIGS bids may be of any amount up to £5000. Applicants need to provide at least 50% of the total cost.
Projects that can be considered for PIGS funding include;
- improvements to the existing rights of way network such as upgrading surfaces and replacing stiles with self-closing gates or kissing gates
- creating new rights of way or permissive routes to avoid busy roads or provide links to existing routes or services
- creating areas of informal recreation or exercise
- providing parking areas
- meeting changed needs of the community
Anyone can put together the background work for bids. However, the bids themselves have to be submitted from parish or town councils. The reason for this is to demonstrate support for the scheme from the local council.
If you have suggestions for a scheme, please contact your parish clerk, or Mike Crook at Wiltshire Council who can discuss whether or not it might meet the criteria. 01225 713349 michael.crook@wiltshire.gov.uk
Further details of the scheme and some examples from previous years can be found on the Countryside Access Forum website:
The closing date for applications is Friday 13th July 2012.