Veterans furious after cash bid is rejected by forum
STUART PIKE
AVETERANS group has hit out after its appeal for funding fell on deaf ears at an awkward public meeting.
Veterans Association UK’s (VA UK) bid for up to £2,000 to meet annual rent charges was refused at an ‘embarrassing’ Oswaldtwistle area forum.
The group’s chief executive was invited by Labour councillors Glen Harrison and Stewart Eaves to address the June 27 forum at the Civic Theatre and apply for funding, only to be rejected on Tory votes.
Tony Hayes, of the Accrington-based group veterans group, said: “We had asked if we could have £1,500 or £2,000 towards the rent of our offices. We got a right ‘grilling’. The atti- tude was nothing short of disgraceful. We don’t get any government funding.”
VA UK, based at Accrington Market Hall, supports serving and ex military with issues including rehousing and mental health treatment.
While the forum had capital funding available, its revenue budget for things like rent costs stood at just over £400.
Coun Harrison said he had suggested Mr Hayes should bid to the forum as Peel ward had paid the rent the previous year.
He said: “In my naivety I hadn’t really come up against this capital and revenue [budgets] before.
“My gripe would be why was he allowed to come to a meeting to do a presentation and then told in no uncertain terms you cannot have the money? It was very uncomfortable to watch. I think many of the viewing public were quite narked about it.”
Coun Eaves said: “Whilst we understand that we couldn’t meet the full amount of money because part of it would have had to come out of capital, we had money in revenue. That’s £441 that could still be paid over.” Forum chairman County Coun Peter Britcliffe denied the decision was a snub to the veterans, saying: “Unfortunately I was the one in the position who had to tell him that we were short of revenue money but if he wanted something, for example a computer, then it would be possible to grant.
“We didn’t have the capacity to fund £1,600 in rent. You would think that Hyndburn council would actually give them a unit in the market hall.”
He added: “We didn’t even know there was going to be a request for funding. It was quite embarrassing.”
Coun Britcliffe said the meeting did grant £1,000 for playground improvements at White Ash School, fund a new flag for Jubilee Gardens, and also offered support for Oswaldtwistle in Bloom.