The West Raynham Solar Farm owned by Bluefield Income Solar Fund (BISF) is committed to providing a Community Benefit Fund (the Fund). The Fund is managed on BISF’s behalf by Grantscape.
The Fund will provide an annual payment to the Parish Council each year for the lifetime of the Solar Farm. The annual donation is linked to inflation so should increase each year.(In 2025 this figure was £12,812.66).
Grass root community groups and volunteers are encouraged to apply to the Parish Council for grants that can improve the natural and social environment for the benefit of Weasenham Parish.
The Parish Council will also put ideas forward for community projects.
Applications should be made to the PC Clerk and all received applications, together with Parish Council ideas, will be discussed openly at Parish Council Meetings before commitments are made.
SOLAR FUND
15th September 2025
21st July 2025
Grantscape have provided the Solar Fund account with an annual grant on 3rd June 2025. The amount received is £12,812.66. This brings the bank account balance to £18,923.49.
Most Recent Solar Fund Projects for the Community
Resurfacing of the Recreation Field Car Park
July 2025
(Cost £9,162.00: Ex VAT £7,635.00): The car park before resurfacing was laid to grass and with a dip towards the field. Following heavy rain, cars frequently struggled when trying to leave. The entire area was levelled, a thick layer of Terram matting (weed resistant membrane) was laid, on top of which 150 to 200mm of hardcore was packed down, before being topped with several tons of shingle. The end result is a vastly improved parking facility and a much more visually aesthetic area. The total cost of the work was £9,162, however the Parish Council applied for and received 50% of the cost through a Parish Partnership Bid with Norfolk County Council, with the remaining 50% being funded from the Solar Fund.
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Container on the Recreation Field
August 2025
(Cost £91.20: Ex VAT £76.00):
The old container on the Recreation Field was looking a bit of an eyesore, but given that it is still watertight, and provides useful storage space for Council equipment, it was agreed that it would get a lick of paint. Specialist paint was acquired from a company in Boston, Lincolnshire and, with much appreciated help from a few parishioners, the task was completed. It’s still an ‘old container’, but at least it now blends in a little better with its surroundings.
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Coronation Bench
September 2025
(Cost £320.99: Ex VAT £270.29): The bench marking the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, 12 May 1937, was in a pretty poor state. It was sited beside the old container on the Recreation Field, the plaque was missing, and the history of the bench was probably being lost through time. It was agreed that it should receive a ‘makeover’. It was dismantled and the metalwork was taken away and sandblasted, zinc coated then powder coated. This was carried out by Ian Bishop (T&B Blasting) completely free of charge to the Village. The wooden spars were replaced with new iroko timber, stainless steel bolts, nuts and washers were used to rebuild it and a replacement brass plaque was purchased. A very generous donation of £180 from Nancy and Brian Pearce went toward the overall cost. The balance was covered by the Solar Fund. It was decided that the bench should be sited in a more central position beside the Village sign, where it can be used and admired for years to come.
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Governance
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Weasenham Parish Council works within the set of rules that are set out in a ‘Solar Fund Agreement’. This is a guidance document that was issued by the solar fund company and is monitored by the funding body’s account manager, GrantScape, an independent charity that specialises in community fund administration. They are our local link, and this enables them to observe which ‘Projects’ are being considered by us for the village. The term ‘Project’ is relatively undefined, but the account manager has helped us to fine tune our understanding of what is acceptable and what is not. Based on their guidance and advice, we now have a much stronger understanding of which initiatives, purchases or even events can be identified as a ‘Project’. In every case, a project should provide a direct benefit to the community and Parish of Weasenham.
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Weasenham Parish Council as a body corporate is the sole manager and administrator of the Solar Fund and liaises closely with the account manager. Taking advice directly from the account manager allows us to ensure all projects fall within the remit and purpose of the Solar Fund agreement so that only valid projects are permitted to proceed.
Since the new Council formed and the current Councillors came into their roles in May 2023, they have been asking the residents of Weasenham Parish, to put forward ideas for new projects across Weasenham. We would like to hear about what you want to see developed in the parish.
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This page shows you some of the examples of projects that have already been completed since May 2023. We will continue to add new projects to this area, that will hopefully inspire residents to suggest future projects.
If you have any questions about the Solar Fund or suggestions for new projects, please contact the Clerk or any of the Councillors.
Removal of the old agricultural tyres from the playing fields
January 2025
(Cost £180.00: Ex VAT £150.00): Successive councils had been trying to get rid of these for years. We were able to deem this a Solar Fund project as it was of benefit to the community. Quotes were sought from three companies and the most affordable one was chosen to complete the project.
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New Replacement Battery for the Defibrillator at the Community Building January 2025 (Cost £246.00; Ex VAT £205.00): The defibrillator has already been called to a potentially life-threatening situation and is on permanent standby to save lives. It is checked every week and hence we identified that the old battery was almost on zero charge. The new one has an expected life of 4 years which should therefore last until about 2029.
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Emergency Repair on an underground Water Leak at the Community Building
October 2024
(Cost £420.00; Ex VAT £350.00 ): After Anglian Water installed their new ‘Smart Meter’ signalling mast in the village, and a new smart meter at the Community Building, we received a letter from them to say there could be a leak as the technology had detected a persistent and continuous flow. Following an initial examination by an engineer, it was determined that the most likely location of the leak would be between the smart meter and the Community Building. This meant that it was the Parish Council’s responsibility to cover the cost of any repair. We sourced the work locally and a small leak was detected on our side of the water meter at a depth of about one metre. It was totally undetectable from the surface. The Clerk suggested that it could be paid for from the Solar Fund as the repair was of benefit to the community. To confirm this, we contacted the Solar Fund Account Manager and it was agreed that this repair fell within the spirit of the Solar Fund agreement.
New Lighting around the Car Park area at the Playing Fields
October 2024
(Cost £1194.00; Ex VAT £995.00): This new lighting makes it much safer and more secure for people attending any winter events in the evening at the Community Building. Without being too obtrusive, the lights provide sufficient illumination for people to get to and from their vehicles and onto the path to the Community Building.
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New Fencing around the Car Park area at the Playing Fields
October 2024
(Cost £2751.70; Ex VAT £1142.50): The vast majority of the old woodwork (uprights and horizontal fence rails) were well rotted, particularly at the bases and replacement was essential.
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New Reinforced Concrete Pads Installed at the Community Building (front & rear)
September 2024
(Cost £873.00; Ex VAT £727.50): The rear exit is a fire escape therefore the concrete provides a far superior surface under foot. The pad at the front is now continuous with the concrete path from the car park.
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New Combination Dual Waste Bin a few metres from the bus stop in Weasenham
September 2024
(Cost £253.95; Ex VAT £211.62): A resident informed the Parish Council that litter dropping had increased around the bus stop area. After confirming the situation with Breckland District Council, we decided to purchase a dual-purpose bin (general waste & dog waste). The existing black and red dog waste bin has been put into storage. In the fullness of time, it will be refurbished, and permission will be sought to relocate it to a different part of the village providing an additional collection point.
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New Microwave Oven (& extended Warranty) for the Community Building
October 2024
(Cost £109.00; Ex VAT £94.17): The Parish Council managed to purchase the new microwave oven and get it Portable Appliance Tested ahead of the Remembrance Sunday gathering. The timing was excellent as it made it possible to provide members of the community hot sausage rolls, following the service at the War memorial. Since then, it has been well used at monthly community coffee mornings and other events.
New Basketball Hoop & Backboard September 2024, (Cost £85.99; Ex VAT £71.65): The old basketball equipment had been repaired several times over the years. The back board was split and deteriorating. A good quality replacement was purchased and the front of the combination goal (where the basketball hoop is situated) was painted with wood preserving paint in September 2024. The cost of this paint came from the Parish Council account as it was deemed to be a running cost, not a project.
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New Basketball Hoop & Backboard September 2024, (Cost £85.99; Ex VAT £71.65): The old basketball equipment had been repaired several times over the years. The back board was split and deteriorating. A good quality replacement was purchased and the front of the combination goal (where the basketball hoop is situated) was painted with wood preserving paint in September 2024. The cost of this paint came from the Parish Council account as it was deemed to be a running cost, not a project.
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New Ink-tank Printer (Parish Council Asset)
May 2024
(Cost £301.98: Ex VAT £251.65): When evaluating our running costs during 2023/2024 we realised that the existing inkjet printer was extremely expensive to run because ink cartridges are very costly. The old printer is now reserved for use by the Clerk/RFO as a Parish Council ‘Office’ item. The new ink-tank printer resides with one of the Councillors and is solely for the purpose of routine printing (e.g. Agendas, Minutes, Flyers, Leaflets, etc) where the print run is of a higher volume. The ink-tank printer is vastly more efficient and therefore lower-cost and it came with a three-year supply of ink (the manufacturer’s claim). How long it will last, will depend on output, but we are hopeful that no further ink for this printer will be required in the foreseeable future. The ink-tank printer was seen as a one-off purchase beneficial to the community and therefore a solar fund project. The existing old printer still requires a yearly running cost taken from the precept.
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The Weasenham Parish Reserve
January 2024 onwards
(£9000.00): The purpose of the Parish Reserve is to provide an emergency fund for the village. Prior to the current Council taking office, there was no reserve built into the Council budget. This is contrary to best practice as stated by professional bodies such as the Norfolk Association of Local Councils (NALC). They see this as good practice as it safeguards the Parish against emergencies, unexpected costs and it stabilises the Parish finances. Parish Councils are advised to set aside between 3 months and one year of running costs as a Parish Reserve. It was also emphasised during training undertaken by Councillors. We could have achieved a Parish Reserve by raising the precept but thought this was unnecessary. Instead, we decided to create the reserve from the Solar Fund. This was done following consultation with the Solar Fund Account Manager. It was agreed this was worthwhile and sensible for the long term benefit of the village and full consent was given to include this as a Solar Fund ‘project’.
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Previous Projects that were completed a while back
Installation of new Bollard Lighting
alongside the concrete path to the
Community Building
February 2024
Cost £3628.80; Ex VAT £3024.00): Long gone are the
times when everyone had to walk to the Community
Building and back to their cars in the dark after an
evening event in the winter months. Following the
construction of the new concrete path (which was
carried out at no expense to the Parish Council,
thanks to the generosity of a local businessman), we
embarked on the project to install bollard lighting
along its length. The lights were ultimately connected
to the new lights around the car park, and all are
activated by one key turn. They make the walk to and
from the building significantly safer and more
comfortable.
Protection of the old Village Pump
2023/2024
(Cost, £110.86; Ex VAT £92.38): After the village pump was knocked over by a delivery van, the previous council began the process of trying to recover the costs from the company that were responsible. When the current Parish Council took over in May 2023. Work had stalled. The new Parish Council took up the challenge and eventually recovered all the repair costs (£144.00) from the loss adjusters. In consultation with the local parishioners, protective posts and chains were installed around the pump and surrounding area to help prevent another collision. The Parish Council agreed to pay for the chains as a solar fund project and the cost of the posts was covered by the local parishioners.
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Legacy from the Previous Interim Council and General Running Costs
May 2023 – August 2024
(Cost £3,500.00). During the first year of the current Parish Council’s term, from May 2023, our understanding of the Solar Fund was perhaps not as clear as it could have been. As a result, two sums totalling £3,500 (£2,000 and £1,500) were transferred from the Solar Fund to the Council’s Community Account to cover Council running costs, all of which have been documented in Parish Council Meeting minutes. Having gained a better understanding of the Solar Farm Agreement, it became clear that use of the Fund in this way was not following the ‘spirit’ of the Agreement.
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​GrantScape, the Solar Fund Account Manager, was contacted and the situation explained. The Council asked if the £3,500 should be returned to the Solar Fund Account. The advice was “no”, as the money was legitimately used by the Parish Council for the Community to pay Parish bills, and there is “no legal reason” or requirement to return the money to the Solar Fund. However, GrantScape’s preference would be that the Fund is not used for this purpose going forward.
The Council is now very careful to ensure that the Fund is only used for projects that benefit the Community. All proposed expenditure is run past the Fund Manager for agreement before going ahead.
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Hopefully, it will be seen from the information provided on this page that the Fund is being put to good use by your Parish Council.
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Update (September 2025): Following a change in their view on the use of this ‘reserve’, Bluefield (the owners of the Solar Farm) and GrantScape (the Fund Manager) have decided that the £9,000 should only be used for ‘emergency projects’ and not for the purposes generally understood as a ‘Parish Reserve’. The £9,000 having been moved to a separate Council account to ‘ringfence’ it, it has now been returned to the Solar Fund Account. Building a genuine Parish Reserve will now need to be considered when drafting future Parish budgets.