EARBY Parish Council has taken the first step in securing much-needed grant money for the town, but it will need active backing from the wider community if it is to succeed.

At their meeting this week, parish councillors heard details of the Vital Villages scheme, a funding project run by the Government's Countryside Agency. They were told Earby could benefit under different parts of the initiative. But to win the cash they had to first show it would be spent on things the community wants and needs.

Two representatives from the Countryside Agency explained how the scheme works.

Roy Hymas said research had shown many people living in rural parishes were deprived of facilities or had poor access to them. For example, 16 per cent of parishes had no local bus service, 46 per cent now had no post office and 50 per cent had no kind of youth group. Grants from the agency could be used to address those types of needs, he said.

Community Services Grants could be applied for by any individual or group to help provide new services for a community, such as a new shop, or computer facilities. The grants ranged from £500 to £25,000 and could cover up to 50 per cent of the cost for commercial enterprises or 75 per cent for community groups. Of the remaining 25 per cent, 20 per cent could be met by donations "in kind" - people giving their time and expertise - so groups need only find five per cent of the cash themselves.

There was also a "Parish Plans" grant scheme, said Mr Hymas, and it was only open to parish and town councils to apply. Bids had to be in two parts. First the council would have to gauge local opinion on what the community needed, and second, draw up an action plan on how it could be achieved.

"It's about giving local people the opportunity to have their say on what they want, then getting it all down on paper to justify the funding," said Mr Hymas.

Up to £5,000 was available for each parish, but neighbouring parishes could join together on projects of mutual benefit to access more cash.

His colleague, Cathy Hopley, explained about grants under the Vital Villages initiative aimed at improving transport in rural areas. Again one element, the Parish Transport Grant Scheme, was only open to parish and town councils to bid for. And again, they had to first consult the community about its transport needs and draw up an action plan.

Up to £10,000 was available per parish and the first £1,000 could be used to pay for the consultation. The grants could cover up to 75 per cent of a project, which could range from providing new bus shelters to vouchers for subsidised taxi travel.

"Any reasonable solution to a problem that you've identified, we're willing to look at it with a view to funding," said Miss Hopley. "We've got a lot of money to spend this year and we're desperate to spend it."

Parish councillor Joyce Myers said it was one thing to give a grant to get these things up and running, but another to keep them running in the longer term.

Coun Vic Marsh said that was what had happened with Earby's computer training centre, which was abruptly shut down when the funding was withdrawn.

Ms Hopley replied that they would try to structure grant funding so that didn't happen, with, for example, 75 per cent funding in the first year, 50 per cent in the second and 25 per cent in the third. In that way, projects could be gradually "weaned off" grant funding as they became self-sufficient.

Members came up with several projects that could benefit from the various grants. A few examples were changing facilities on the recreation ground, safer routes to school for Earby children and alterations to the old fire station in Victoria Road to make it into a community facility.

Coun Morris Horsfield said: "Whatever scheme you put in for, some will fail and some will succeed, but if you don't put in for it you'll never know. You do have to fight for these grants and it doesn't happen overnight. It's a slow job but I think we can get some money into Earby."

Other members agreed and took the first step by formally registering their intent to produce a town and parish plan - a document setting out what the community needed, to be used as a blueprint in compiling bids.