Earlier this year, South Kesteven District Council handed over funding of over £1.3million to its wholly-owned subsidiary company, InvestSK Ltd. You might be wondering what this money is being spent on. If so, you are not alone. There is currently no formal mechanism for interrogating the company’s expenditure other than submitting lots of Freedom of Information requests or waiting for its Year End accounts.

The original plan was that InvestSK activities and spending would be scrutinised by a ‘Companies Committee’ formed of Councillors. Unfortunately, almost two years after the creation of InvestSK Ltd, this Committee has not yet been constituted or established by the Council.

Good news is that I have discovered through correspondence with InvestSK Ltd, how some of the money has been spent. The following table lists how around £58,000 has been distributed as community grants to good causes in the District

For avoidance of doubt, I am keen that the Council supports needy organisations and the local economy. I am only publishing this information because I think it should be in public domain and, in fact, InvestSK or SKDC should already have published it all together in one place where anyone can have a look.

Recipient of grant, amount and total project value	Purpose of grant funding
Lincolnshire Rivers Trust. Grant value = £2500. Total project expenditure = £9,112	Production of interpretation and geocache trail and treasure map for the ‘Reconnecting the Witham project’ focusing on the history and natural heritage of the Witham.  Production of material for an exibition in Grantham Museum Funding to support family fun days/ experience days and guided walks of the river
ChristChurch Community Project. Grant value = £2000. Total project expenditure = 2000	Production of interpretation for ChristChurch, Finkin Street, focusing on the history of the building and the congregation – including some of its most famous members including (but not exclusively)  Margaret Thatcher. Production of a booklet detailing the history and short film
Stamford Community Orchard Group. Grant value = £2000. Total project expenditure = 3500	Production of interpretation materials, including botanical drawings and accompanying interpretation information focused on six varieties of apples developed in Stamford by Brown’s Nursery in the 1850’s.  Materials which highlight the historic local orchards and the fruit growing industry in Stamford
Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle Society . Grant value = £700. Total project expenditure = £700	Funding for a vintage bus running day in Grantham and surrounding villages during Heritage Open Days in Sep 2019. Production of interpretation booklet, including one page on SK transport heritage
Grantham Civic Society Grant value = £2000. Total project expenditure = £2,340	Funding for community archaeology on St Peters Hill, comprising of three 2×1 m test pits. To determine the location of St Peter’s Chapel and Eleanor Cross – this follows a successful resistivity study
Bourne Arts and Community Trust. Grant value = £4,000. Total project expenditure = £6,975	Funding for essential structural stabilisation of Wake House, a Grade II listed building and birthplace of Charles Worth -now used as a community hub supporting over 70 community groups and businesses. Including insertion of RSJ to stabilise upper flors and secure the bay window, and the stabilisation of the South gable wall with tie bars.
Thorold Arms Community Benefit Society . Grant value = £4,000. Total project expenditure = £17,500	Funding for repairs and conservation work to the entrance doors and windows, and the renewal of exterior render of the Thorold Arms – a 175 year old pub which is being saved by the village to become a self sustaining community hub. As well as being a vital part of the restoration of the building, the works will also maintain and improve the historic street scene
Grimsthorpe and Drummond Castle trust. Grant value = £4,000. Total project expenditure = £10,900	Restoration of two mid-18th century Shephards Huts, which will be used to add to the visitor experience at Grimsthorpe. Production of interpretation materials to be displayed within the huts
Grantham Canal Society . Grant value = £4000. Total project expenditure = £16,000	Funding for the purchace of 8,000 bricks for the restoration of Lock 14 of the Grantham Canal.  The remainder of the funding is secured.
Grantham Canal Society Grant value = £500. Total project expenditure = £784	Funding to support a canal society open day to highlight the heritage of the canal, and the canal restoration project
St Andrew’s church PCC, Boothby Pagnell. Grant value = £3000. Total project expenditure = £20,000	Funding for the restoration of Collyweston slate roofs of the Grade II* Lych gate and the porch of the Grade I listed church. The slate requires replacement as it has come to the end of its natural lifespan (approx 100 years).  The remainder of the funds have been raised by the congregation/ PCC
Long Bennington Parish Council Grant value = £3000. Total project expenditure = £3000	Funding for repairs to the boundary wall of the Long Bennington War Memorial Garden, to prevent collapse.
St Andrew’s  PCC Rippingale. Grant value = £4000. Total project expenditure = £72,000	Funding towards urgent repairs to North Aisle roof of St Andrews Church.  The Congragation and community had raised over £40,000 for urgent repairs to the roof, however when work began the damage to structural timbers due to water ingress and insect activity was much worse than previously thought.  St Andrew’s are currently progresing a NLHF bid for the additional funding required, with the support of Lincoln Diocese
Denton Street Market Group. Grant value = £4000. Total project expenditure = £7500	Restoration of water pump enclosure walls to prevent further deterioration, and highlight this feature in the village street scape
Banks Newton Heritage CIC. Grant value = £2000. Total project expenditure = 2000	Production of interpretation for the Ancaster community archaeology project, including pop up displays, Specialist led activity days and find processing sessions
Grantham Canal Society . Grant value = £1300. Total project expenditure = £1300	Funding for the production of an information leaflet about the canal and the restoration project, production of a time lapse film showing the restoration of lock 14, and the construction of a collapsable mock ‘narrowboat cabin’ for use as part of the Canal Societies schools/ youth groups eduaction programme
Bourne Baptist Church . Grant value = £3500. Total project expenditure = £3500	Funding for repairs and restoration of the windows of Bourne Batptist church (Grade II) to prevent further deterioration of the windows, and prevent water ingress.
St Martin’s Church Conservation Trust. Grant value = £2199. Total project expenditure = £2199	Funding for the restoration of a Victorian porch lantern. Including the conversion of the lantern so it becomes functional.
Parish Church of St Guthlac, Market Deeping. Grant value = £2000. Total project expenditure = £2000	Funding for the production of an educational film showcasing the restoration of the church organ. The film will detail the skills and crafts required to restore the 137 year old organ. (The grant is for interpretation of a larger £88,000 HLF supported project which is also receiving grants from Market Deeping Town Council among others)
Grantham Community Heritage Association Grant value = £2000. Total project expenditure = £5773	Funding for production of an oral history podcast archive, which will include interviews with local historians, notiable Grantham reisdents and ‘charactors’ and other residents.  The archive will also house recordings made by local historian Betty Elmer – after whom the archive is named.  The grant will cover the costs of recording equipment and production.
Deepings Community Library . Grant value = £500. Total project expenditure = £500	Funding for a Historical Taster Session for local schools featuring a professional re-enactment group and will focus on the Tudor era
Deepings Community Library Grant value = £4000. Total project expenditure = 4000	Funding of an options appraisal for the library foyer – to commission a conservation accredited architect to produce an options appraisal and suggest solutions for improvements to the library foyer security and access, which are sutiable for the Grade II listed building.