TWO funds have been backed by Melksham area board to improve public open spaces.

One is for a detached youth workers service at the skate park, with £5,000 allocated from the youth budget.

The other is for a public open spaces network fund where £10,000 will be set aside. This will support community groups with resources to improve their public open spaces through shared machinery and small grants to buy equipment and materials.

Melksham Without North Cllr Phil Alford said: "Last year I secured a team of youth workers to work with older people and now the second part of the project is getting youth workers into the skate park. So take some of the best bits of the old youth work. Anyone can refer but they're working closely with Melksham Oak and young people.

"There will be a pop-up youth cafe every week. Then on another night three youth workers will be around Melksham and Bower Hill area doing alternative routes round to hot spots of social spaces.

The £10,000 funding for the project had been agreed at the last meeting in January. The proposal this time was to agree the split of the two funds.

There will be a small project fund of £6,000 available in 12 capital grants of £500 each for small projects such as buying shovels, strimmers, goggles, gloves, hi-viz jackets, and plants. The other will be a machinery fund of £ 4,000 in larger capital grants available to buy and share larger kit needed for occasional use such as a clipper or rotivator.

"We have got lots of community groups we can support. They will come forward and can essentially book the equipment out without duplicating it. They will be accessible at different locations one being Canberra Centre on Spa Road.

"The motivation for the project is improving communities wellbeing as this is a great opportunity to do that by getting people out of isolation and creating social cohesion."