Unkindest cuts of all for the Big Society

Jeremy Prescott's First Person column appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Unkindest cuts of all for the Big Society

Jeremy Prescott thinks councils cutting funding for charities is self-defeating

A year ago I wrote in this column that Big Society was in danger of failing through the funding cuts that the voluntary sector were facing. 

A recently leaked national report conducted by the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (Acevo) validates my fears. It states that the charitable sector is facing local authority and national government funding cuts of between £1 billion and £5.5 billion in this current financial year.

At a local level we have recently had news of Voluntary Action Melton facing closure at the end of March with many other charities such as Cruse Bereavement Service also on a survival knife edge.

Even closer to home the Rural Community Council (RCC), the charity which I lead, is facing funding cuts of 34 per cent from Leicestershire County Council, 62 per cent from Rutland County Council and 100 per cent cuts from Harborough and Melton District Councils. We are only managing to maintain our services by delving into our reserves which can only be sustained for a short time.

A recent questionnaire on the Big Society conducted by the RCC showed an alarmingly degree of negativity towards this government initiative. Many felt that it was a ploy of seeking volunteers to provide services, normally paid for by council taxes, on the cheap.

To give credit to Leicestershire County Council, they have allocated over £340,000 into a Big Society Grant Scheme to help small community groups turns their ideas into reality. I have always advocated that such funding is just part of an important jigsaw but what is equally important is that charities who provide the essential support to those small groups are funded to do just that.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a meal; teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime" (Chinese Proverb).

For this reason I believe the balance of funding being provided to this grant scheme is wrong and this view is supported by 75 per cent of those surveyed in the Big Society questionnaire, advocating that charities should receive more funding from this Big Society pot.

These funding cuts are making it extremely difficult for us to provide support to those who need it.

It is accepted that local authorities are having to making huge savings themselves but I strongly feel that a way of helping them make such savings is actually to increase the amount of funding they provide to charities.

With the low running costs of charities (salaries and pensions) compared with the public sector, and the fact that we rely on the enormous goodwill of an army of volunteers who selflessly give up their time, this is certainly not the time to be cutting the voluntary sector.

Jeremy Prescott is Chief Executive of the RCC, a local charity supporting rural communities.

Disability projects axed

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Disability projects axed

Four council-funded schemes for people with learning disabilities are set to close after no-one came forward to take them over.

Leicestershire County Council's cabinet will decide the future of the schemes next month and they are likely to close in September.

The schemes include the Breaking the Barriers team, in Mountsorrel; the Buffet Car project, in Coalville; Four West, in Wigston; and the Charnwood recycling project, in Loughborough. They run activities such as catering, gardening and recycling.The council had hoped that outside agencies, including charities, could have stepped forward to take over the schemes.

The closures would save £770,000 a year.

Richard Woolerton, 27, is a trainee at the Buffet Car, which gives young people the chance to earn a qualification in catering.

His mother, Jackie, 57, said: "I think it stinks that the council is closing a service that had made such a difference to people's lives for 25 years.

"Richard has a great life thanks to the Buffet Car but they're taking that away. What will happen to all of the people who use these centres? They'll be stuck at home all day."

David Sprason, cabinet member for adults and communities, said the services were not part of the council's core business.

He added: "I'm disappointed that we could not find anyone willing to take over these schemes, but we have to face reality.

"I understand people don't want them to close, but in these hard times, when we're saving £79 million over four years, we have to concentrate our limited funding on the most vulnerable people.

"They are not a core part of our business – especially when there are other agencies out there who are responsible for doing this.

"We're going to ensure that people who use these services have time to find alternatives, which may include our own day services."

However, it is also proposed that two schemes – Breaking the Barriers in Hinckley and the Greenhouse project in Wigston – could continue until September 2012, to allow more time to seek alternative funding.

Russell Harrison, 36, from Coalville, has been visiting Breaking the Barriers, in Hinckley, for three years.

The centres give vulnerable adults an opportunity learn skills such as woodwork and gardening.

Russell's dad, Jeff Harrison, 66, said: "Russell's had some of the best years of his life with Breaking the Barriers.

"I'm pleased that we've been given an additional 18 months at the centre, but we'll continue the campaign to secure its future in the long-term."

Last November, a report by the council said that the schemes had limited success in moving people into paid employment.

The council warned that unless other groups came forward, they would close, because other agencies should be providing this support. County Hall's Cabinet will discuss the issue on April 5.

Leicestershire disability service faces axe

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Leicestershire disability service faces axe

A scheme which helps scores of adults with learning difficulties to find work and gain work experience could face the axe.

Leicestershire County Council is reviewing where its spends its money as it tries to save £770,000 from its £15.5m day services budget.

One option is to stop funding schemes which help disabled people find work unless private investment can be found.

Campaigners fear this could spell the end of projects such as Breaking Barriers, which was set up two years ago to supplement day care services for people with learning difficulties, mental health problems and physical disabilities.

It has nine schemes in Hinckley, Coalville, Wigston and Loughborough and helps scores of people.

The scheme at Millfield Day Centre, in Hinckley, runs a recycling project involving up to 25 people who run a weekly market stall selling old clothes andrecycling paper.In Wigston, there is a gardening and nursery project and Coalville's scheme runs catering training and organises work experience placements.

Sue Disley, the county's assistant director for adults and communities, said: "People love attending these employment projects, which help adults with learning disabilities become more independent, learn skills to find work and build their confidence.

"However, they cost £770,000 a year to run and the council is not required by law to provide them.

"The review will see if these social enterprises can generate more income themselves and look at ways of bringing in private investment.

"The aim is to find alternative sources of funding so the schemes can continue."One volunteer in Hinckley, who did not want to be named, said these projects should not be cut.

He said: "The scheme helps service users to earn money and be more independent."I can't believe they are now considering closing it.

"The council is uncaring and will be hitting the most vulnerable people in our society."They should have thought it through properly in the first place."

The council's cabinet approved the review at Monday's meeting as part of its "medium term financial strategy".

Coalville Labour district councillor John Legrys said: "These schemes are invaluable and without their help, many clients will be forced to turn to official day centre care services, which will cost more."

Conservative Coun David Sprason, cabinet member for adults and communities, said: "We have already invested over £2.5m in these schemes.

"Unfortunately, however, we have no choice but to make efficiency savings. This review will look at alternative and perhaps better ways to fund these services."

Race rant Leicestershire Councillor is suspended

From today's Leicester Mercury:

Race rant Leicestershire Councillor is suspended

A Leicestershire county councillor has been suspended for a month and told to undergo further diversity training over remarks he made at a public meeting. 

Robert Fraser has admitted that he was "stupid" to say that Romanians would "stick a knife in you as soon as look at you", and that some Europeans "make the Irish look like complete amateurs". 

A County Hall standards sub-committee found the councillor for Groby and Ratby behaved in a way that could have brought his position, and that of the council, into disrepute. 

Members agreed he had breached Leicestershire County Council's code of conduct and he was reprimanded officially at a hearing on Tuesday. 

Despite already having been to sent to diversity training by the county's Tory party, the committee ruled he must go again, ideally on a one-to-one basis, and pay the first £250 of the cost. For his month's suspension, which has started immediately, all allowances for that period will be withdrawn. 

An investigation began after complaints were made about his conduct at a Groby Parish Council meeting to discuss plans for a site for about 50 caravans off Sacheverell Way in Groby. 

The outburst was recorded and released on internet video site YouTube. 

It was seen by hundreds of people online as well as hundreds more at the public meeting. 

He responded to a comment from the audience by saying: "Some of these European ones, they make the Irish look like complete amateurs and I would dread, I would dread, to see them in Groby. 

"The Romanians; they're lovely people they are. They'll stick a knife in you soon as look at you. 

"There might be some good ones. Excuse me if there are any Romanians here. Hopefully without a knife. I've got to get out of here. I'm a bit slow. 

"What's going to happen to the loved ones that have been buried in a cemetery with a transit site around the corner? We know what's going to happen there straight away. You can only imagine it. 

"Over my dead body will they come here." 

When the remarks came to light in March this year, two months after the meeting on January 8, chairman of the Leicester Gipsy Council liaison group, Alfie Kefford, called for Coun Fraser to resign and said the comments were akin to "incitement to racial hatred", adding: "To do it in a public place is totally unacceptable." 

The Romanian ambassador to the UK, Dr Ion Jinga, said the comments were "extremely regrettable and totally unfair". 

At the hearing on Tuesday afternoon, Councillor Fraser said only a few words and questions were directed to chairman of Groby Parish Council, Peter Batty, who was representing him. 

Mr Batty argued that while Mr Fraser did not deny saying these things, he did not believe he was there in his capacity as a county councillor, so could not bring the authority or his position into disrepute. 

He also argued it was the public's view which best showed whether he brought himself or the authority into disrepute, and he was re-elected in July. 

He said: "He is not denying that he said those statements. He bitterly regrets them and is not making excuses. 

"The video does not establish any relationship with Leicestershire County Council. You have no evidence that he was acting in his official capacity. 

"The most reasonable test is of public opinion. I would suggest that Mr Fraser passed this test at the county council elections." 

However, these arguments were firmly rejected by the panel. 

Panel chairman Martin Caple said: "We are satisfied Mr Fraser made a derogatory statement and the comment did not fall into part of an acceptable opinion. 

"Your conduct is in breach and you brought your office into disrepute and could have brought the authority into disrepute."