Council axes grants to voluntary groups (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Council axes grants to voluntary groups

COTSWOLD District Council has axed funding to various voluntary organisations as part of an ongoing cost-cutting campaign.

But some major service providers, including the Citizens' Advice Bureau, will continue to get the full support of the authority.

Among the groups to have their funding completely cut by CDC are the Cotswold Canals Trust, which had been due to receive £2,500.

Elsewhere, Business Link, which awards various grants, including some in support of the agricultural community, saw its amount reduced from £15,000 to £5,000.

While the Gloucestershire First economic development partnership's allocation is going down from £13,500 to £10,000.

The cuts are part of the council's bid to save £25,000 from grants to the voluntary sector.

And councillors were presented with a series of options for distributing the £131,000 available from CDC.

In her report to the council, head of community and economic development Rosemary Lynn said: "The choice is between protecting the level of support for 'strategic partners' or protecting the level of 'rent grants' or a combination of both.

"Members will need to take account of implications of any decisions made earlier at the meeting about overall grant savings."

However, although councillors decided to cut funding to several groups, they maintained their financial support for groups, which provide wide ranging support to Cotswold residents.

These include the Citizens' Advice Bureau £82,500, Gloucestershire Rural Community Council £26,000, Cotswold Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) £2,600 plus £1,400, the North Cotswold Voluntary Help Centre £1,815, Cotswold Victim Support £1,550, Cotswold Counselling and Support Centre £3,375, Corinium Talking News £1,750, Cirencester Housing for Young People £10,115.

Cotswold Canals Trust chairman Bruce Hall said the organisation would continue to submit applications in the future.

He said: "They (CDC) are a partner. Support doesn't necessarily mean cash.. Money is tight this year but there's still a tremendous amount of support there."