Westminster Conservatives have slashed next year’s voluntary sector budget by over half a million pounds despite local voluntary groups playing a vital role in delivering services to the community, particularly to those who are vulnerable.
In all, nearly 80 projects have been refused funding, despite the fact that many of them are recognised by the Council as delivering important services. Some of the projects that have been refused funding are:
St John’s Wood Adventure Playground: £19,300
Youth Project for Lillington and Longmore Gardens: £12,000
Terrence Higgins Trust (5 projects): £200,000
Queens Park Bangladesh Society: £20,000
Friends of St Anne’s, Soho: £30,000
Cardinal Hume Centre: £28,000
Harrow Road Labour Councillor Guthrie McKie said:
“This is a disgrace. At a time when the voluntary sector will have more calls on them for support and assistance, the Council cuts off vital funding to them. Evidence, if ever we needed it, that when the Conservatives make cuts, they hit the most vulnerable in our communities.”
