Villages net £1m lottery bonanza

LANGOLD and Carlton have been allocated £1 million to spend on improving its communities thanks to an initiative from The National Lottery.

Residents and community groups from both villages are urged to attend a series of public meetings over the coming weeks to decide how the money will be spent.

Each community will receive £500,000 over the next ten years in a scheme aimed at letting local people decide what their areas need.

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The announcement was welcomed with open arms after the Guardian broke the news to Hodsock Parish Council.

Chairman Stewart Goulding said: “It’s brilliant news!”

“We are really pleased with it and I just hope it materialises. We have been promised so much in the past I really hope this comes through.”

“We need to find a way of getting youth off unemployment and in work - that is a priority, as is affordable housing.”

“If there’s anything left then I would like to create some sports facilities so they community can enjoy that.”

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Coun Goulding held concern that neither Langold or Carlton were in the first 50 areas to be developed.

But Lottery representatives said it will be working closely with residents in each area, offering support and helping to develop a plan for the money.

The money could be spent on areas from creating community facilities, training and employment schemes, to tackling anti-social behaviour and providing more activities for young people.

Carlton Parish Council chairman Barry Bowles said it was ‘exciting times’ for both communities.

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“Certainly the parish council would like to be involved in any community group formed for this area,” he said.

“We would hope to use the money on the civic centre - we have to raise the money ourselves and it costs up to £6,000 a month to run.”

“Unless we get money coming in, it’s a struggle. We are also crying out for play facilities.” The money comes from a £200m Big Lottery Fund scheme called Big Local, which aims to give communities a leading role in making decisions about how to improve their area and tackle local problems.

Big Local representative for Langold and Carlton Mandy Wilson said she was looking forward to working with residents.

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“It is a really exciting opportunity for local residents, groups and organisations to make a positive and lasting difference to the communities in which they live,” she said.

Leader of Bassetlaw Council Graham Oxby said: “I am thrilled that two communities in Bassetlaw are going to benefit from this funding and that it will be up to the communities themselves to decide how best to use these funds.”

“Langold and Carlton have missed out in the past from Government funding so it is excellent that they have been successful in this latest round of Big Local funding.”