COMMUNITY groups have benefited in a share of £12,000 made available for projects through the Cardigan Wellbeing Fund.

Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn has committed £10,000 to each neighbourhood policing area across the force, with communities themselves able to have their say about which projects should benefit.

A further £2,000 was donated to the Cardigan fund by Wales and West Housing.

Any community group was allowed bid for a share of the grant, as long as they use the money to improve community safety and promote a healthier, safer place to live.

More than 70 people took part in an online Zoom event last month to cast their votes for the various projects, with eight local groups benefiting.

Awards of £2000 were made to Ysgol Ty Llew Jones, Ysgol Penparc PTA, Cardigan Volunteer Police Cadets and Woody’s Lodge.

Tarian Y Ddraig Explorer Scouts received £1,500, while Ysgol Gynradd Aberteifi was awarded £896, Cardigan Running Club £875 and Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi £729.

PCC Mr Llywelyn said: “I have committed to this new and innovative approach to community funding as I think it’s vital that local residents have a say in how money is spent in their local area.

“They are best placed to work with the police, and indeed other partner agencies, to identify where the money is needed and what would most benefit local communities.”

Each of the 14 Neighbourhood Policing Teams across the Dyfed-Powys force area will receive £10,000 each to be spent in the area they serve, with the communities themselves being the key decision makers.

Superintendent Ifan Charles, Divisional Commander for Carmarthenshire and lead on participatory budgeting in force, said: “Participatory budgeting is a way of giving communities a greater say in how their community evolves.

“Problem solving to find long term solutions to the issues that cause communities the greatest harm, is at the core of our new neighbourhood policing model.

“Through informed community engagement and problem solving, the new neighbourhood structure should reduce the long-term harm for our communities and with that, demand on our response officers, but this will only work if our communities and partners are equally engaged.”