BLES failure: Blame lies at the door of Parliament
Cash squeeze put on charity until mothballing is only option
A charity which has helped hundreds of vulnerable people get into work is closing, with the blame being put on cuts from the Scottish Government.
Blackburn Local Employment Scheme (BLES) is being “mothballed” after over 30 years, as charity bosses have been unable to secure funding from other sources.
The group offers people aged 16 to 18 - many of whom have learning difficulties - the opportunity to gain recognised qualifications.
BLES general manager, Anne Kerr, said the board had taken the decision to mothball the scheme because of its financial woes.
Labour MSP, Neil Findlay, rounded on SNP ministers, blaming them for allowing the charity to fail by pushing through funding cuts.
However SNP MSP, Fiona Hyslop, said BLES had received funding “over and above what they were able to deliver”.
Anne Kerr said it was with a heavy heart that the board had decided to mothball the scheme.
“West Lothian Council have been very supportive and they have offered our joiner supervisor employment,” she said.
“They will also rent the building in the meantime to ensure the resource is still used to deliver training to vulnerable young people.
“Hopefully, this will give the board time to access some funding from grants applied for and get BLES back on its feet.
“It’s a very sad time for us but at least the young people of West Lothian will still have access to the facilities.”
Neil Findlay said the charity’s closure was a “scandal” and put the blame squarely at the feet of SNP ministers.
He continued: “The decision to close BLES is one the board probably had little option but to take.
“But let me be clear that this was allowed to happen was an absolute disgrace. I have worked extensively with the BLES management, the board and West Lothian Council, to try and help save this essential service that has been helping young people in West Lothian into work, training and self-employment for over 30 years but the reality is the Scottish Government offered absolutely zero by way of help or financial support.
“I met with the Minister Keith Brown last year to appeal to him to take steps to secure the future of the project but they didn’t want to know.
“Two cabinet ministers, Fiona Hyslop and Angela Constance represent West Lothian, both have sat back and done nothing as BLES was left to go to the wall. “This is a scandal.” However, Fiona Hyslop, that rather than having its funding cut, BLES had not been “able to deliver”.
She continued: “I understand that BLES believe that their Employability Funding was reduced in 2016/17, but in fact BLES were awarded funding which is over and above what they were able to deliver in training terms last year.
“Rather than there being a cut from the government, unfortunately BLES were not able to deliver fully with the funding they did receive.
“BLES were awarded a contract to deliver 154 places with a value of £305,000 in 2015-16. However, they were unable to deliver the volumes