Community groups are an 'easy target' for coalition cuts, report warns

Grassroots community groups are an "easy target" for government budget cuts, a think-tank has warned.

A new report by the Young Foundation claims that, based on extensive conversations with public sector managers, most government departments facing 15 to 25 per cent budget cuts are planning to cut their funding for grassroots community organisations by 35 to 50 per cent.

The report argues that there is a danger that the spending cuts will undermine the coalition Government’s Big Society agenda and principles.

It cautions against the temptation for Government departments, public agencies and local authorities to treat grassroots projects as an easy target for budget cuts. These smaller community initiatives are vulnerable, it says, because they "lack the lobbying power of larger state and commercial delivers of public services, which are more vocal and have greater financial resources to defend their interests".

The report urges major spending departments to ringfence budgets for grassroots organisations and give more power to community groups, for example through the coalition government’s proposed community right-to-buy scheme, which would allow communities to bid to take over failing public services.

Geoff Mulgan, director of the Young Foundation, said: "There needs to be a much clearer commitment to protecting civil society’s share in public spending, since there is a danger that in the rush to demonstrate responsiveness, grass roots programmes will be the first to be cut by commissioners."
 

www.regen.net 07/09/2010