Charities urge council to change funding rules

CHARITIES are urging the council to allow cash awarded under the controversial Communities Fund to be carried over to next year.

In September, around £47 million was allocated to almost 280 third sector groups across the city to cover a threeyear period, up to 2023.

Planned projects have been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic but the terms of the council grants mean money allocated for the first year of the scheme must be used by the end of March.

However, leftover funding cannot currently be taken over to the next financial year.

Some organisations have not been able to use all the funds amid restrictions in place due to the pandemic.

Jimmy Wilson, representing the Glasgow Third Sector Interface, said: “You need to remember these applications were written and submitted in October 2019.

“They were then accepted in September 2020.

“We were right in the midst of a world pandemic and what we said in 2019 that we were going to do is absolutely not what is happening at the moment.

“Many of the places that the third sector are utilising, such as Glasgow Life’s facilities, are closed, therefore it is unreasonable to expect the third sector can deliver what they said they were going to deliver in 2019.”

Speaking at a meeting of the council’s north east sector community planning partnership, he added: “We ask again can we please, if third sector organisations need to, carry over to the next financial year.”

A council officer said: “I would like to reassure you that we are having discussions with our colleagues in finance.

“We have flagged up there is an issue and a lot of organisations have asked can they carry forward the money.

“It would normally to be spent by the end have of the financial year, but exceptional times.”

She added: “I can’t make any promises, just to say that it’s something we are very much looking into.”

Groups which were awarded grants have been asked to submit revised delivery plans to the council.

The Communities Fund caused controversy last year, when more than 200 groups had applications rejected.

A £4m transition fund was launched to help the advice sector, violence against women organisations, communities of interest and equalities groups.

Designed to replace the Integrated Grant Fund, the new scheme had intended to open up funding to a wider range of organisations.

Following the fallout, the council agreed an independent review would be carried out. these are