Cleaner Greener Safer

The Cleaner Greener Safer (CGS) programme funds ideas from local organisations and individuals who live or work in Southwark, which improve their local area.

Do you want to create a community garden? Perhaps you want cycle parking on your estate, or live near a play area that could do with a revamp?

If your idea is to make permanent, physical changes to your local area, the Cleaner Greener Safer programme could make your idea a reality.

Ranging from £100 for small gardening projects to £50,000 contributions to large construction projects, the programme is as varied as the ideas you propose.

CGS funding can be used for:

• Improving the existing planting on estates, providing community gardens, landscaping, food growing projects and wildlife areas
• Improving community and youth facilities such as sports courts, Tenant and Resident Association (TRA) halls, recycling initiatives and community designed murals and mosaics
• Bringing unused areas on estates back into use for gardening or recreation
• Installing security measures like gates and railings and tackling ‘grot spots’ – areas where anti-social behaviour is causing problems
• School improvements, including planting and signage for clean air zones, sports and play equipment and outdoor classrooms.

How do I apply?

The application period for Cleaner Greener Safer happens once a year, usually from the beginning of September to the middle of October.

The online application form is very simple.

It asks:

• Who you are
• What your ideas is
• How it will make your local area Cleaner, Greener or Safer
• If you have any support and how much it might cost

Read the guidance notes for the application form ^{(PDF, 881kb)}

If you are not sure if your idea is suitable for funding, please don’t hesitate to contact us at cgs@southwark.gov.uk or call 020 7525 4077 and we can help.

What is not eligible

CGS funding is restricted. It can only be spent on capital improvements, which means permanent, physical changes. We cannot fund:

• Temporary improvements
• Community days
• Workshops
• CCTV systems
• Works on private property unless there's a long-term guarantee of public access or a demonstrable public benefit
• Internal works on Southwark Housing property (e.g. security doors, door entry systems, internal communal area decorations)

How is funding decided and awarded?

Every application is checked to make sure it is eligible, feasible and that any costings are realistic. If we need you to revise your application or if it is not suitable we will be in touch.

If it just needs a tweak or two we will do that for you!

Your ward councillors make funding decisions in the following February / March after assessing the applications. The decisions are announced at public meetings and you will be notified in writing of your success, or otherwise, after the meeting.

Once the decisions are made, funding is generally available at the beginning of the next financial year (April).

Find more details on your local ward councillors

Project or Grant?

Funding is awarded in two ways.

Grant

If you are a constituted organisation, TRA (Tenant & Resident Association), charity, Club etc. you can apply to deliver the idea yourself. GRANT funding is awarded directly to your group after your project is complete and proof of project expenditure has been provided to the grants officer.

You may be required to supply additional information relating to your proposal and your organisation.

Project

If you are an individual or a group that does not wish to manage the implementation of your idea, the CGS team will do it for you as a CGS PROJECT. As the project sponsor, you will be heavily involved in the process but we will handle all the technical and financial aspects.

Projects on the Highway

The Devolved Highways programme

Every year an additional £800,000 capital funding for public highway improvements is available. This is separate to Cleaner Greener Safer funding.

Could your street be improved with new surfacing or paving? Is there a road near you which could be made more accessible with dropped kerbs or safer with traffic calming measures? You can use the same application form to propose ideas for the Devolved Highways programme.

To find out more, visit the devolved highways page  

If your project is suitable for this funding we will advise the ward councillors after we have assessed all the applications.

The decision making process is the same as for Cleaner Greener Safer, but projects are carried out by a separate Highways team.

Page last updated: 11 October 2023