COUNCILLOR URGES MOLE VALLEY TO HELP BOOKHAM SCOUTS BUILD NEW HEADQUARTERS
Mole Valley is getting ready to consider a grant of £20,000 to the 1st & 3rd Bookham Scout Groups. The Council is a trustee of the Thomas Flack Trust Fund, which was established "for the general benefit of the people of the Leatherhead Urban District". The Trust is believed to have just under £250,000 in funds, which it grants to local groups in the Leatherhead area.
The application was approved by Mole Valley’s Executive Council at its meeting on the 10th June 2008.
Applications to the Thomas Flack Trust Fund are considered by the Thomas Flack Working Group. The group is made up of elected Members of Mole Valley District Council who offer recommendations on all applications to the Executive for decision.
The funding is to assist with the building of a new Headquarters building to provide a purpose built, functional and safe facility for the scout group and for use by other community groups. The total project cost is £298,000. The group have already secured £250,000 with plans in place to raise a further £28,000. A grant of £20,000 would complete their fundraising activity.
The building work is due to start in June 2008
The new building will adjoin Bookham Youth Centre, which are about to be let out by Surrey County Council Youth Service to a local management group. A new limited company has just last week been registered and an application for charitable status is expected to be successful inside 2 months.
Conservative Councillor Clare Curran (Bookham North) welcomed the project.
"As a council, we believe in investing in our community’s assets. This grant will be a great help for Bookham Scouts. They have managed to raise a huge sum of money for their headquarters, and I hope the Executive Council of Mole Valley will enable them to reach their target. The Scouts are an important part of our community, and I wish them all the best.The new building will help other groups with their activities. I hope that the new Scouts headquarters can work with the adjoining Bookham Youth Centre to share their facilities."
Malcolm Johnson – Communications Officer Conservative Group
11th June 2008