Croydon voluntary groups get funding reprieve from councillor Fisher
Ian Austen
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GRANTS to voluntary groups that face massive funding cuts are to continue for another three months to allow time for results of a new review to be studied.
The decision has been taken by Croydon Council leader Mike Fisher following a decision to consult affected groups about the impact proposed cuts would have.
Councillor Fisher has also said the outcome of the impact study would be considered by the council cabinet on September 20.
The cabinet will decide to what extent the original proposed cuts will be implemented.
The original policy would have resulted in 41 out of 47 voluntary organisations, which at present get money from the council's communities budget, losing their funding.
The groups claimed this sounded the death knell for many of them.
The council had already set aside £350,000 of transition funding to help groups weather cuts.
But this money will now not be needed as quickly while grants, which would have ended in October, continue.
Jon Rouse, Croydon council chief executive, said Mr Fisher's decision to ask for a new impact assessment would enable the cabinet to decide whether or not the decision to cut funding needed to be adjusted.
Mr Rouse said: "It was felt that while the assessment was going on it would be unfair to take any grants away, so it has been decided to extend the affected groups' current funding for three months."
Steve Phaure, chief executive of Croydon Voluntary Action, the umbrella group for voluntary organisations, welcomed the impact assessment, although he said many questions remained about future commissioning of services and how any transition funding would be distributed.
Mr Phaure said: "The whole thing was a knee-jerk. We accept there have to be cuts to some degree but our whole case remains that these proposed cuts are too heavy."
3 Comments
by RobinHood, Thieves Wood,Sherwood
Thursday, September 09 2010, 7:07PM
“Can we have a run down on the 47 'voluntary organisations', how many of them overlap or are duplications?How many can become self funding?
How much will an 'impact study' cost?
What a load of old twaddle.”
by Richard, croydon
Monday, September 06 2010, 7:26AM
“The powers of the elected representatives are being ripped away from the councillors on the planning committee, by an over zealous council
officer.
This officer is trying to make all the decisions on planning himself!!!
As the councillors are not experts in that field.
This is a disgrace,it is our democratic right to have OUR!!! councillors make decisions on our behalf.”
by Mike, Ex Croydon
Friday, September 03 2010, 9:24AM
“It is clear that the council are wrong to make many of the cuts they are proposing as many people are helped a great deal by various organisations that are likely end up folding without the councils funding. Croydons council like many who moved to the cabinet system are becoming more and more remote from the people they are supposed represent and help because in all honesty many of the councillors elected by people now play very little part in the decision making.”