WATCHET Coastal Community Team has become one of 20 partnerships nationwide to take part in the Place Based Social Action programme.

Watchet CCT won a bid from the Big Lottery Fund and Department of Digital, Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) to take part in the first stage of the programme.

It will now receive support to develop social action plans designed to address issues important to the local community.

The Placed Based Social Action programme, funded using £4.5 million of Government and National Lottery money, aims to support communities to put social action at the heart of plans which make a positive difference in the local area.

It gives people the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the design and delivery of local services by bringing together communities, local authorities, public sector organisations, service providers, civil society organisations and businesses to address local priorities.

Between now and December, Watchet CCT will work with New Economics Foundation and Locality, the national network for community organisations that bring local people together to meet local needs, to design their local social action plan.

In early 2019, up to ten of the 20 partnerships taking part in the first phase of the programme will go on to be awarded funding of up to £240,000 for three years to put their plans into action. Following this, up to five of the partnerships will be awarded further funding of up to £255,000 to develop and expand their plans for another three years to December 2024.

Watchet CCT is made up of 30 local organisations, businesses, community groups and town, district and county councils. The team works collaboratively to help further initiatives that help to benefit the town both economically and socially.

Peter Murphy, chairman, said:“We are thrilled to have been chosen as one of the Place Based Social Action partnerships."