VOLUNTARY and community groups in Worcestershire have entered grant bids of more than £2.2 million, but just £1.2 million is available.

Worcestershire County Council’s voluntary and community sector (VCS) grants have proved so successful that almost double the amount of money has been applied for. The £1.2 million was made available for VCS groups to bid for earlier this year. Applications for £2.24 million have been received and the council is now preparing to make some tough decisions.

The grants include three-year awards for community transport and supporting community-based activities for older people, as well as one-off grants for carers, community-based activities for older people and celebrating cultural diversity. The successful applicants will be notified in January.

Councillor Simon Geraghty, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for planning, economy and performance, said: “It’s wonderful to hear that voluntary and community sector organisations have responded to our grants scheme so positively.

“However, we now face the difficult task of disappointing some unsuccessful applicants, which is even more challenging because we don’t want to harm anyone’s enthusiasm for this work. We’ll be running another round of grants next year and I hope to see the same level of response.

“The good news is that the strength of the competition means the successful applicants will be of the highest quality and will deliver equally high quality services while also providing value for money.”