COMMUNITY facilities in Hagley are set to benefit to the tune of more than £50,000 following the latest round of New Homes Bonus funding.

Hagley Primary School PTA is to receive £28,800 towards a new artificial multi-sports court, which will also be available to the wider community, while Haybridge Sports Centre was granted £22,710 towards new equipment.

The grants, which add up to £51,510, were approved by Bromsgrove District Council's cabinet yesterday (Wednesday September 6) - and they are among 14 community projects across the district to have benefitted from £168,975 from the New Homes Bonus Scheme awarded by the district council this year.

The NHB Scheme was introduced nationally in 2011 and meant central government would pay local councils whenever new homes are built in the authority's patch.

The intention was for councils to pass the money on to community groups to improve facilities in areas experiencing new housing.

Bromsgrove District Council agreed to pass on the money generated after a 1,429-name petition was gathered by Hagley Residents Action Group in 2014 and since then communities have received some £290,000 in funding - with Hagley benefitting from just over £80,000 of that.

Peter Rowbottom, of Hagley Residents Action Group, said: "This is the third successive year that Hagley has directly benefitted from the NHB Scheme and with many of the new homes currently being completed in Hagley due to trigger further NHB payments to the council, hopefully Hagley groups will receive more money in future years."

Bromsgrove District councillor for Hagley East, Rachel Jenkins (pictured below), said: "It's great news that Hagley Primary School PTA's all-weather multi sports court and Haybridge Sports Centre's sports equipment projects were awarded their full bid amounts - ensuring these projects happen.

Stourbridge News: Rachel Jenkins

"Both bids were fully supported by myself and fellow Hagley councillor Steve Colella.

"Both facilities will be available to the public to use outside of school hours - with the primary school court open to the public for the first time, giving much-needed further sports facilities for Hagley’s growing population.

"Having been involved in the original NHB campaign in 2014 to persuade Bromsgrove District Council to pass on NHB money to communities, as district councillor I am fully committed to ensuring NHB money will continue in future years to the benefit of Hagley and other communities in the district.

"The growing need for this money to go to communities is apparent - with over 31 bids this year asking for a total of almost £330,000."