A HOST of community groups in Blaenavon – from sports teams to a museum – have had their share of a £1,000 fund confirmed,

All 40 members of Torfaen Borough Council are able to allocate up £1,500 a year “as they see fit” towards local projects under its members small grants scheme.

But awards to nine organisations required approval from the council’s ethics and standards committee due to connections or links with the councillor making the award.

The committee had to approve a dispensation from the normal rules, which would prevent a councillor taking a decision to benefit a group or individual they have an association with, due to a “prejudicial interest”.

The committee granted all nine dispensation requests at its October meeting.

Blaenavon’s Black Diamonds Girls Rugby team received £200, with Councillor Caroline Price declaring an interest as her granddaughter plays for the team.

Coed Eva AFC in Cwmbran was allocated £200 from Cllr Colettee Thomas, whose grandson is a member of the football club, and the Cwmbran member also allocated £200 towards Coed Eva Allotments Association which some of her family are members of.

The Ty Gwyn Allotments received a £200 donation from Cllr Ron Burnett whose daughter has a plot.

Blaenavon councillor Liam Cowles made a £150 donation to Blaenavon and District Darts League in which he is a registered player and he also highlighted the chairman is a “close friend”.

Cllr Janet Jones, who also represents the town, made £50 awards to four organisations she is a member of.

Those are Blaenavon Museum, where she is the secretary, Blaenavon Horticultural Society where she also serves as secretary, the Blaenavon branch of the Royal British Legion which she is a member of, and Bethel Baptist Church where she is a deacon.

The council says the dispensation process allows member to participate in the small grants scheme and maintains transparency and public confidence in decision making.