Voluntary groups won’t be left ‘high and dry’

The proposals concern a total of £145,000 to six groups in the borough. The money will give the groups more time to make alternative arrangements and seek other sources of funding following a decision by the council to change the way in which it funds these groups.

Calderdale DART, Age UK, Community Transport Calderdale, Ground Floor Centre, Cloverleaf Advocacy and Pennine Relate could all benefit from the money.

In August last year the council reorganised the way in which it commissioned work from the voluntary sector for 2012/13 onwards.

While there were 10 expressions of interest from organisations interested in a contract to provide information services, there was only one firm bid, from Calderdale Citizens Advice Bureau.

The report to Cabinet recommends that bid is accepted.

But the report also recommends that a £145,000 transition fund be made available to help six other groups which will no longer receive funding.

This will mean that organisations would have up to 18 months to make alternative arrangements.

Calderdale’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Coun Pauline Nash, said: “The groups concerned will have the opportunity to request funding which will help them to continue their work while adjusting to the new funding environment.

“Money would only be made available to groups and organisations previously funded through Communities Grants.

“These groups have been delivering valuable services to significant numbers of people many of them Calderdale’s most vulnerable residents.

“It’s important that in changing the way we commission these services to get the best value for money, we don’t just pull the funding plug, leaving these organisations high and dry”.