North Somerset Lib Dem News
return to headline pageLib Dems disappointed by cuts in voluntary organisation funding.
PRESS RELEASE
FROM
NORTH SOMERSET COUNCIL
LIBERAL DEMOCRAT GROUP
Liberal Democrat Councillors on North Somerset Council fought hard to stop grant cuts to voluntary organisations but were disappointed not to succeed.
Decisions made by Tory Executive Cllrs Ap Rees, Peddlesden and Blatchford to cut grants were called before the Community Services and Children and Young People's Services scrutiny panels by Liberal Democrat, Green and Labour councillors. Panel members heard that decisions to cut funding to organisations including the Weston Credit
Union, Community Associations, Youth Clubs & the Weston Arts Festival, were made without using any system for allocating grants and without professional advice.
Cllr Deborah Yamanaka (Lib Dem Group Leader) said “Residents helped by voluntary organisations will be the victims of these cuts made by Tory councillors concerned only with saving money in the short term. Volunteers giving their time freely to community activities and to help those in need have been let down for no good reason."
Councillor Gully Hayer (Lib Dem South Worle) spoke at the Community Services meeting on the application from Preanes Green Resource Centre in Worle. Gully said “The centre is a community-led facility which has done a massive job improving the Preanes Green estate for residents. The decision to cut their funding will impact upon the services that the centre can provide.”
At the Children and Young People's Services meeting Cllr Andy Cole (Lib Dem Nailsea East) spoke against the cut to the MYCON Youth centre in Nailsea by saying “This facility in Nailsea is vital to the town and the young people who use it. I am angry that the Tories have cut funding for this project when helping young people is supposed to be a priority. It will be a sad day for Nailsea when MYCON closes in July after 40 years."
The Community Services and Children and Young People's Services scrutiny panels voted not to ask Executive members to increase any grants.
ENDS
Contact: - Cllr Deborah Yamanaka – 01934 862109