Since 2010, our area has been aware of the possibility of upcoming disruption by the building of HS2. Many constituents have contacted me with their concerns, and we have worked hard as a community to ensure disruption is minimised as much as possible.
Part of this mitigation is the Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy fun (BLEF), which opened in February 2017. These funds are intended to add benefit to local economies and communities like ours that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction og Phase One of High Speed Two, over and above the committed mitigation and statutory compensation already agreed. The funds are managed by the charity Groundwork, which operates independently and separately from HS2 Ltd. The Central construction area will receive a minimum of £15million in awards from the total of £40million that has been allocated to these funds.
The BLEF is targeted at organisations which have formal objectives that support the development of local business/tourism, and the CEF is open to applications from the voluntary/community sector, such resident’s associations, constituted community groups, Community Interest Companies, social enterprises, community businesses, registered charities and other non-profit organisations formally established for public benefit. Both are available up until the first year of operations for HS2.
I would encourage groups and organisation who are affected by HS2 to apply. Regardless of your views on the merits of HS2, if it is to happen we have to consider now what can be done to ensure the construction phase is managed well. We are entitled to our share of the funds available and if we don’t apply for it, those in other areas will. The independent panel to whom applications for funding should be made next sits in March 2018, and more information is available at www.groundwork.org/sites/hs2funds.