Dudley health boss claims plans to slash charity funds is an ‘opportunity’

As part of its proposed budget for the next financial year cash-strapped Dudley Council is planning to slash half of the funding it provides to Dudley Council Voluntary Service despite claims it will be asking them to do more as it cuts its own services.

At a meeting of the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on January 23, councillors quizzed leaders from the directorate of public health about whether cutting £80,000 from the voluntary sector was the right thing to do.

Cllr Adam Aston said: “The council is going to signpost Dudley residents to services provided by the voluntary sector and yet, almost in the same breath, we are ripping away funding from those very same organisations which are going to have more pressure – because we are signposting to them.”

Cllr Ed Lawrence added: “It seems a small amount of money in the grand scheme of this whole budget, we are talking about savings of £4m in some other departments.

“What I see as a small amount is going to cause a huge amount of pain to these local charities, the presentation even admits some smaller local charities will close down and it’s going to put more pressure onto the council.

“Is this really the only way of saving £80,000?”

Dudley director of public health, Mayada Abu Affan, said: “We are transparent on our ability to mitigate that impact, it’s an opportunity for innovation, it’s an opportunity to work differently within my community development team and within the voluntary sector.

“I am really optimistic around the impact it will have on community groups, I alluded to the grantfinder software and our ability to support and build capacity within those small charities to be self-sufficient.”

Cllr James Clinton, Dudley cabinet member for public health, insisted there would still be help for voluntary groups despite the loss of the funds.

He said: “This decision hasn’t come lightly, I do believe the team will be able to provide the support.

“We have to make efficiency savings, the team are there, they are prepared to support the voluntary groups and residents, if there is going to be pain it will be minimal.”

Dudley Council’s interim chief executive, Balvinder Heran, added: “The Dudley Council for Voluntary Service saving is in relation to the corporate functions at the centre, it is mainly reductions in infrastructure, this is not direct charity.”