Council backtracks on homeless funding cuts
CITY council bosses have scaled back threatened cuts to services for the homeless and vulnerable for a second time, saying “it was the right thing to do”.
The Labour-run council was set to cut £3.2 million this year, and a further £1.8 million next, from the much-needed £24 million supporting people fund which pays charities and social landlords to help those at risk of homelessness.
But following negotiations with charities to reduce some costs and a Government social care funding boost in the spring, it is now putting £2 million back into the budget to continue services at their current level until March 2018.
It is the second time the council has scaled back the cut. In December it announced a £10 million cut over two years but this was halved following widespread protests – including a Save Our Support rally and a flash mob in the city centre ahead of the budget setting meeting.
Protesters warned that the threatened cuts could lead to a cardboard city and deaths on the streets as vital support was withdrawn. The fund backs a wide range of vulnerable people, including those with mental health problems, young care leavers, victims of domestic violence and disabled people.
The Save Our Support campaign members included Midland Mencap, Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid, Shelter, Midland Heart, BID, Birmingham Crisis, Ashram Accord, Birmingham Mind, Birmingham Rathbone, St Basils, YMCA and Birmingham Voluntary Service Council.
Midland Mencap chief executive Dave Rogers said: “We are delighted that the council has listened to providers and service users and has found a way to mitigate the proposed cuts to the Supporting People budget, protecting prevention support services for some of the most vulnerable people in the city.”
The charities have written to the council’s leadership thanking them for the rethink.
Paulette Hamilton, Labour cabinet member for health and social care, said: “It was the right thing to do. It was not fair to just cut without looking at how we should reshape the service. If we don’t do more preventative work on homelessness we will have an avalanche down the line.”