The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
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Fears for the most vulnerable in Peterborough have been raised after proposals to slash funding for charities, healthcare, the disabled, the elderly, young people and socially deprived adults were unveiled by the city council.
The authority wants to save millions of pounds by scaling back its support to a number of organisations, while forcing community groups to take over the responsibilities.
But, leader of the council’s Labour group Cllr Shaz Nawaz said: “Deserving organisations that make a massive contribution to the people of Peterborough are now going to face financial hardship.”
Green Party leader Cllr Julie Howell said: “If these services were to disappear due to lack of funding I worry some disabled people or people with long-term conditions could fall into poverty by not successfully claiming the benefits to which they are entitled.”
One charity facing a funding cut is Age UK Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Its chief executive Melanie Wicklen said: “The decision to reduce the funds to the voluntary sector will result in greater pressure on local authority services, and will likely result in older people reaching preventable crisis situations sooner.”
There will be large cuts to charities supporting the disabled, elderly and adults in poverty, as well as cuts to care support and youth funding.
A £50,000 winter heating grant for the most vulnerable will also be cut, as will a support service for the isolated and hearing screenings for children starting school.
Residents using LifeLine a personal alarm system - will now be charged.
Defending the cuts, council leader Cllr John Holdich said: “Historically people have come to the council for help and support around all manner of subjects, often to provide services which could and should be provided elsewhere.
“We want to get away from that and support others to provide services independently of the council - people who know their community and its needs better than us instead of the council and its taxpayers picking up the bill.
“In turn this will allow us to fund the statutory services that we have no choice over providing, and should be providing.”
More than £400,000 a year is being taken away from the Peterborough Community Assistance Scheme. This includes KingsGate Community Church - which runs food banks and provides white goods, a credit union, Disability Peterborough, Age UK and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.
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