ALMOST £50,000 has been made available to Honiton to help deliver three exciting new projects.

This is Section 106 sports money, collected by East Devon District Council on every additional dwelling created in the town.

EDDC has a groundbreaking policy of spending this money through a process of community involvement.

Honiton Town Council and EDDC worked together to publicise the fact that this money was available, asking individuals as well as sports organisations and voluntary and community groups to come forward with their ideas for how it should be spent.

Petanque Ten proposals were submitted but only three were eligible, affordable and possible. The three proposals add up to under £50,000 so they can all be funded:

• A petanque court at Mountbatten Sports and Social Club at a maximum cost of £14,400.

There are currently people in Honiton who play petanque and have to travel many miles to be able to play.

• A sports wall at Allhallows Field, containing a netball/ basketball goal in particular to provide an extra facility for young people. This will cost £15,000.

• Installing a permanent safety barrier around one of the rugby pitches at Allhallows Field. This will help to bring the facilities up to the standard of other clubs playing at their level and will meet some of the recommendations the Rugby Football Union make for safety purposes. The club bid for £20,500 for the supply of materials, and will provide the funding for machinery hire and labour costs themselves.

Usually East Devon District Council would work closely with the Town Council to take the list of possible projects out to the community and get the community to vote on which ones they want to see happen. This isn’t necessary in this case as all the proposed projects can be funded.

Sports wall It is now up to Honiton Rugby Club and Mountbatten Sports and Social Club to get the necessary permissions to carry out their projects. The sports wall project has been agreed by EDDC, which owns the land it would go on.

Honiton Town Council discussed and agreed the results at their meeting on 12 May.

Councillor Iain Chubb, EDDC’s Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “We are committed to making sure that local people have their say about where money from developments in their parish gets spent, and are one of the few local authorities that do so.

"On this occasion we can fund all the projects that the community have put forward. I am looking forward to seeing the completed projects installed and being used by local residents”.