§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which town and parish councils have received financial assistance for(a) training and (b) preparation of local plans in 2001–02, stating in each case the level of funding made available. [18791]
§ Alun Michael(a) The Countryside Agency, in consultation with the National Association of Local Councils, is still in the process of working up a national training strategy for town and parish councils. No parish or town council has therefore received funding for training from the Countryside Agency.
(b) The parish plans grant scheme was launched in April this year. The target is to have 1,000 communities producing town or parish plans by 2004.
The maximum level of grant available is £5,000 to cover 75 per cent. of the costs of producing the plan. To date, 243 parish and town councils have registered an interest to produce a plan and 72 have been made a formal offer of grant. Grant is paid out against actual expenditure but applicants can claim an "up front payment" of 25 per cent. of their grant application to help them get started.