Loss of funding would be a body blow for this community group

Published: 1 July, 2011

• THANK you for your article highlighting the plight of Holloway Neighbourhood Group, which faces having its funding axed totally by the Labour council (Neighbourhood group faces axe after £60k cut to funding, June 24).

The decision is a body blow to one of the borough’s most respected and successful community groups. Nobody can understand the Labour councillors’ decision, especially when council officers were recommending that the group be funded.

This raises other questions about the whole grant award process. That’s why Liberal Democrat councillors have “called in” the decision to allow more scrutiny. We believe there has been a lack of clarity about the process used to agree funding awards against officer advice. We are concerned that no transitional support is being offered to organisations set to lose significant levels of funding and whether some of the awards agreed offer the best value for money and will achieve everything promised.

I know some groups will be unhappy that the process has been delayed by a couple of weeks. But funding awards are for four years and for large sums of public money – up to £250,000. It’s vital decisions are made in the most transparent way possible and that it can be proven everyone has been treated fairly and equally.

CLLR TERRY STACY
Lib Dem leader of the Opposition