Organisers of Minsterley Eisteddfod have been shunned in their attempt to attract funding for professional judges – after being told the bid would not provide ‘significant community benefit’.
Committee members had applied for £1,500 in funding to help meet the £5,200 cost of recruiting professional judges for their event, which attracts crowds of 2,000 from across the Midlands.
The event includes musical recitals and poetry and is one of the main events on the village’s annual calendar.
But members of Shropshire Council’s Longden, Ford and Rea Valley local joint committee have been advised to refuse the bid ahead of a meeting tonight, Thursday, with a report to the committee claiming it is not focused on improving the local community.
And in a further blow for the village, a bid for £6,000 submitted by the village hall committee to complete surfacing work on its car park also looks likely to be refused.
Village hall officials claim the work would prevent yobs hurling stones at cars, but a report to the LJC claims the project would not provide ‘significant improvements or attract new users’.
Minsterley Eisteddfod officials say the aim of the event each March is to ‘provide local people with access to arts, particularly music and literature, with a focus on young people’.
Eisteddfod general secretary Bronwen Evans said: “I disagree with the claimed lack of community benefit as our event involves many local people, especially youngsters, who have little opportunity to be involved in the arts.”
Louise Walsgrove, clerk of Minsterley Parish Council, said: “We support both the eisteddfod and village hall and this is very disappointing news for the village.”
Grants requests likely to be approved include £800 for Pontesbury Basketball Club, £1,000 for Ford Parish Hall, £2,500 for Ford Bowling Club, £2,500 for Hanwood Bowling Club and £1,000 for Shrewsbury Karate Club in Pontesbury.
By Peter Johnson