Thousands are left unspent as cuts bite - City Hall quizzed over £850,000 community fund

Published: 27 May 2011
by JOSH LOEB

HUNDREDS of thousands of pounds earmarked for worthwhile causes has been “lying idle” in City Hall’s coffers for years, opposition councillors have claimed.

Westminster’s Labour group this week demanded to know why £850,000 in the council’s Paddington Social and Community Fund – a pot of cash intended for deserving community groups – has not been released. 

Labour say the council is refusing to hand over the money to hard-pressed groups, adding that the Paddington Law Centre and neighbourhood management teams in Queen’s Park, Harrow Road, Westbourne and Church Street wards have all had their funding reduced and would benefit from a cash boost.

Westminster Labour group leader Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg called on council chief executive Mike More to explain why the money has not been allocated.

He said: “We have been asking the council for the past 12 months why the £850,000 is not being used to help local groups, but it seems that senior Conservative councillors are refusing to let go of the money, preferring to see local voluntary groups struggle under the weight of the council’s and government’s spending cuts.

“We are calling on the council’s chief executive to intervene so that the community’s money is unlocked and invested in local projects that will benefit Westminster’s most needy communities.”

Angela Singhate, of the Queen’s Park Forum, which offers advice on healthcare and employment, said the centre had been forced to cut staff because of the funding crisis and that the City Hall cash would be enough to pay the salaries of several members of staff for years. 

She added: “There are a lot of community groups scrambling around for funding, so if you can get anything to keep going then it is a big help.”

Cllr Robert Davis, council deputy leader and cabinet member for the built environment, said: “We are currently looking into how the next round of money from the fund will be allocated.

“We have to ensure that the money will bring meaningful benefit to the Paddington area. This means taking a measured approach to how it is invested, rather than distributing money in an ad-hoc way.”

The Paddington Social and Community Fund was established as part of the Paddington Basin Development prog-ramme and comprises Section 106 financial contributions from major development projects which have been granted planning permission by the council over the past decade.

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