The first stop on the visit was Ilfracombe. The Minister met with North Devon Council Officers to see and discuss some of the housing challenges within the town, and potential solutions. This visit was linked to the upcoming Renters (Reform) Bill, as well as the plans that have been proposed to create more key worker housing in and around Ilfracombe.
The Minister then met with Keith Routledge, Trustee of Chittlehampton Village Hall and the team to congratulate the community on their successful bid in the Community Ownership Fund, awarded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Chittlehampton Village Hall were awarded £264,510 from the Community Ownership Fund just before Christmas.
The Community Ownership Fund is a government fund managed by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and will provide £150 million to support community groups across the UK. The Community Ownership Fund allows unsuccessful applicants to bid again. The fund is running until March 2025 with regular bidding windows, the latest window is open now and closing on the 31st January 2024, expressions of interest are open all year round, so local projects can apply.
Selaine Saxby, MP for North Devon said:
“It was great to welcome Levelling Up Minister, Jacob Young to North Devon. It was a very productive visit; we managed to make two stops, in Ilfracombe and in Chittlehampton. We visited Ilfracombe so I could highlight the housing challenges within the town to the Minister, how we can tackle the root causes and ensure that levelling up does reach small towns and communities.
“We also visited Chittlehampton Village Hall to showcase the positive benefits of Levelling Up. The team have worked so hard, thank you, and it was lovely to introduce the Minister to the team to better understand the renovation projects in store for this fabulous community hall.
“The next round of the Community Ownership Fund closes on the 31st January 2024. I encourage local community groups in North Devon to apply. The funds are available for small communities as well as big ones!”
Jacob Young, Minister for Levelling Up said:
“It was excellent to come to North Devon and see for myself the challenges around housing in Ilfracombe, and the particular issues there with such a high level of private rental properties. Thanks to North Devon Council Officers for putting across the issues and possible solutions so clearly.
“It was also good to meet the team at Chittlehampton Village Hall where we have awarded £264,000 from the Community Ownership Fund. The team in Chittlehampton have clearly worked incredibly hard for their community to get this project progressing and it’s been good to see levelling up reach up into rural North Devon.”
