Thousands of pounds of community forum funding has been granted to more than 30 local community groups since April this year.

Community forum grants of up to £5,000 are available throughout the year to eligible voluntary and community organisations for projects and activities designed to make a difference to local areas and their communities.

Since April nearly £100,000 has been granted to projects including the refurbishment of the new base for the Side By Side Theatre Company in Stourbridge, restoration of rights of way in Illey, Lapal and Coombeswood and a number of summer festivals and fun days across the borough.

Community forum meetings take place four times a year, with the next round less than one month away.

As well as providing grants, they provide an opportunity for people to get together with their ward councillors and police representatives to talk about the issues in their areas and look at what positive action they can take together to improve their local communities. Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said:

"We hope people are having a great summer so far and I’d like to take the opportunity to remind people that community forums are coming up in the next few weeks.

"Please take a couple of hours to come and meet with us and the police to talk about the issues that matter most to you and give us your ideas as to how we can all make improvements in the areas you live."

The next round of community forums gets underway on September 2 with the Belle Vale, Hayley Green and Cradley South community forum at Halesowen Cultural Centre and the Brierley Hill, Brockmoor and Pensnett community forum at Fens Pool Community Centre.

On Thursday September 5, the forum for people living in Kingswinford, Wall Heath and Wordsley will take place at Belle Vue Primary School and for those in Norton, Pedmore, Stourbridge East, Wollaston and Stourbridge Town, their forum will take place at Ham Dingle Primary School.

The Castle and Priory, St James’s and St Thomas’s community forum takes place on September 9 at the DY1 community building on Stafford Street. Also taking place that evening is the Coseley East and Sedgley community forum at Alder Coppice Primary School.

Two meetings will be held on September 17. These include the Amblecote, Cradley and Wollescote, Lye and Stourbridge North forum at Thorns Primary School and the one for people in Gornal, Upper Gornal and Woodsetton at Bramford Primary School

Tenterfields Primary School will host the penultimate forum in this round for people living in Halesowen North and Halesowen South on September 30. The final meeting in this round will be the one for Netherton, Woodside, St Andrews, Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood at The Savoy Centre on 2 October.

All community forums start at 6.30pm. Grants of up to £5,000 are available to voluntary and community organisations whilst funds remain and applications for funding must be submitted three weeks before the relevant community forum meeting. Any applications that miss this deadline will be considered as part of the next round of community forums.

For more information on community forums, email community.forums@dudley.gov.uk.