The Vale has given Wantage Scout Group £50,396 of developer money for its kitchen, taking the total to £123,576. Work is due to start in the coming weeks.

Wantage Scout Group has been awarded £50,396 to expand and refurbish the kitchen at its headquarters in the town, where young people will learn to cook and prepare healthy meals. The grant from Vale of White Horse District Council takes the council’s total for the building to £123,576.

All of the money is Section 106 funding from developers of the Crab Hill development in Wantage, the council said. Work on this second phase is expected to start in the coming weeks.

What the first £73,180 paid for

Earlier this year the council awarded £73,180 from the same contribution for Phase 1, which is now finished. It covered the group’s main Troop Room, where the work:

  • replaced an old, outdated heating system
  • added a new external access door
  • replaced rotten internal cladding and single glazed windows
  • insulated the space, which the council says will keep it warm and energy-efficient for future generations of scouts
An empty room with cream wooden panelling, green window frames, a green shelving unit and a bare orange floor
The room at the Wantage Scout Group headquarters before the first phase of work. Photo: supplied by Wantage Scout Group

The group’s before and after pictures show the change. The cream panelling, green window frames and bare floor have gone, replaced by white walls, radiators and a wood-effect floor.

What the volunteers and the council say

Steve Houseman, Group Lead Volunteer for Wantage Scout Group, said: “We really appreciate the funding provided through the District Council. This investment has already transformed our meeting space, and with Phase 2 now secured, we can offer even more practical opportunities, like cooking classes, for our youngsters. We are extremely thankful to the wonderful people at the District Council for their ongoing support and dedication to our community.”

Cllr Mark Coleman, the council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “I’m really pleased that we have been able to offer on-going support to the Wantage Scout Group to improve their headquarters and facilities. This is exactly what developer contributions are for, and what better way to use it than to help the younger people in our district who are the future of the area.”

What it means for you

Families with children in the group can expect more practical sessions once the kitchen is done, with cooking classes the example the group gives. No finish date has been given.

For anyone wondering where the money comes from, Section 106 agreements are used alongside the Community Infrastructure Levy to secure the infrastructure needed to support new development. The developer is legally bound to deliver that infrastructure, and the council collects the money once planning permission is implemented.

The scouts are not the only Wantage group to benefit from developer money. Last month we reported that the Vale had approved £256,526 for padel courts at Wantage Lawn Tennis Club.