Carers' group may lose its funding (From Gazette & Herald)

Carers' group may lose its funding

A GROUP which helps carers for elderly and disabled people in Ryedale is set to lose a vital grant from the district council because the authority says its work does not meet its policy for giving out cash.

A bid for £4,000 from Ryedale and Scarborough Carers Resource has been recommended for refusal by Ryedale District Council's community services and licensing committee, at its meeting tonight at Ryedale House in Malton.

Two other organisations, Ryedale Voluntary Action (RVA) and Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) are in line to receive £19,726 and £24,339 respectively, if councillors back officers' recommendations.

Jos Holmes, the district council's cultural services manager, said the budget for community grants in the current financial year was £150,680.

"Over the last few years the budget has been oversubscribed, with grant applications from the voluntary and community sector, leading to many projects being rejected as there are insufficient funds available," said Ms Holmes.

The RVA and CAB grants are set to be paid for the next three years. The Carers Resource has been grant aided as a special case since 1997.

"However, due to the pressure on our grant budget resources, we have to assess whether the organisation is achieving our corporate aims. As a specialist health and care organisation it is felt that it does not," she said.

"While providing a good level of service to its community of interest - adult carers - it does not provide the 'umbrella' services to the voluntary or community sector which warrants special case status."

Carers Resource is entitled to apply for grant aid towards projects, said Ms Holmes, particularly where they meet the district council's aims, such as delivering services to young people or providing a new service.

"It is important to state that there is no indication of lack of confidence in the organisation or the service it delivers. Rather that it does not meet the grant fund policy and the more focussed approach to achieving our aims and objectives," she said.

No one was available for comment at the Carers Resource.

Updated: 10:22 Thursday, June 03, 2004