Jake Ferguson's blog     I am Jake Ferguson, Chief Executive of Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (HCVS).  I have worked at the organisation for nine years.   Welcome to my blog.  This is where I will be keeping you up to date on the government's spending cuts and important issues for our sector.   You can read my blog posts below.   If you have any feedback on this, please email me at jake@hcvs.org.uk

Jake Ferguson HCVS Chief Executive

CUTS BLOG 2: Proposed reduction to Team Hackney Grants Programme this year as a result of cuts to local authority budgets in 2010/11 - posted 2 July 2010

Dear Colleagues HCVS has been informed by the Council that due to the reduction in funding to Team Hackney of £3.8 million in this financial year they are proposing a reduction to the grants programme from £750k to £500k this year. This proposed cut is part of a range of proposed cuts to different programmes funded through the Area Based Grant and Working Neighbourhoods Fund. Whilst Team Hackney is trying to ensure minimum impact on the voluntary and community sector (VCS), the reality is that all sectors are being affected in some way or other. A final decision about the funding for this year's grants programme will hopefully be made on 13 July when Team Hackney meets to discuss the proposed cuts. The proposed reduction of £250k in the Team Hackney Community Grants programme represents a 33% reduction in grants available through this programme to the voluntary and community sector (VCS) to provide projects which deliver bottom-up solutions to tackle LAA priorities and Community Strategy objectives. In terms of the broader impact on the voluntary and community sector Ian Lewis, Director Partnerships and lead officer for Team Hackney has provided the following information: "Of the total funding committed this year the following reductions are proposed: 4.5% is in grants and 12% of all proposed savings are from Grants programmes 22% is in third sector contracts and 11% of  all proposed savings from contracts with the third sector. Cuts to other sectors are commensurate or greater than the funding committed to that sector (e.g. 31% of the funding committed this year is in Council contracts, and the cuts to Council contracts are 31% of all proposed savings). If [Team Hackney] chooses to protect the Grants programme, the cuts to third sector contracts might well increase, as the savings will have to be found from other programmes. We acknowledge the benefits of local grants programmes in delivering community specific services, as enunciated by you, and we appreciate the contribution is different from contracts. Unfortunately, however, the fact that projects funded through this grants programme have not as yet been funded does have to be brought into consideration’. If a cut is agreed by Team Hackney, this will mean either: a) there will be less projects funded through this programme than in previous years, or b) that organisations will receive less funding for their projects. Following an invitation by Team Hackney to consider the impact of a reduction of 250k, HCVS has outlined its concerns to Team Hackney which are summarised below: The current programme was agreed by PIE early in the year and was launched to the sector by HCVS and Team Hackney on Wednesday, 7 April 2010 to much interest from local community & voluntary sector organisations. Grants are an important feature of the local funding profile in Hackney and the Team Hackney Partnership has made a firm commitment to this in the Hackney COMPACT. They provide a hugely valued resource for the VCS and represent best value in terms of additional resources that are matched by local volunteers, trustees and project coordinators. They also provide the Team Hackney Partnership and the Council an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to the sector by providing frontline resources to communities who the public sector struggles to fully engage. By their very nature grants represents savings to local government and value for money in terms of service delivery - because a)VCS organisations generally have low overheads, and good connections in the community - so low/no outreach costs and b) all VCS organisations have a significant input of volunteers in delivering the service - all will have volunteer management committee/board, and most will have some elements of the service delivered by volunteers Grants also provide an opportunity for the sector to lever in additional resources to the Borough through charitable or non-governmental sources. It is not possible to determine the actual impact on Hackney’s residents because of the nature of grant programmes in inviting projects to come forward to be funded. However we know that last year’s Team Hackney Community Grants programme contributed to community cohesion and the social economy by reaching over 17,000 local people, creating 140 local jobs for those working in the grant funded projects and supported over 700 volunteers.  Although a crude calculation a 33% reduction in grant could mean the loss of 46 part time or full time jobs, 5,600 less beneficiaries and 230 less volunteers. Many of the projects traditionally funded provide community specific frontline services. A wide range of local communities are supported through the Team Hackney grants programme. The grants panels will still continue to go ahead between 7 and 15 July so we expect at this stage to be able to communicate the outcome of the panels within 10 -1 2 weeks of the deadline of 28 May – hence around the beginning of September. If you are concerned about the implications of this proposed reduction to the Team Hackney Programme we would be keen to hear from you. Equally if you have ideas or suggestions as to how we handle this situation that would also be helpful to receive. Please email me directly at jake@hcvs.org.uk

Key stats: Team Hackney Community Grants Team Hackney Community Grants 2009 / 10 90 grants awarded reaching over 17,000 local people provided 140 local jobs for those working in the grant funded projects supported over 700 volunteers.   Examples of projects funded by last year's programme   An Viet Foundation   Youth Skills Network Refugee Workers Cultural Association North London Muslim Community Centre Great Nile Trust Making Dance, Music, Dram, Arts & Sports   Photography - Katherine Green: info@katherinegreen.co.uk

HCVS is concerned, as no doubt the entire voluntary and community sector is, about the impact of the new government’s spending cuts. We thought it important to update you as to the current position in Hackney and also share with you some of the ways in which HCVS may be able to help your organisation. In Hackney we have had some confirmation from the Council about the level of proposed cuts for Hackney (see Appendix One opposite.). It is, however, important to be clear that decisions about how these cuts will affect individual contracts or programmes have yet to be decided as the Council is currently considering options and will be making proposals about how this will be taken forward shortly. At HCVS we are particular concerned about the potential impact of the cuts on the Team Hackney Community Grants Programme for this year, and also on the future of the Positive Activities for Young People programme which both provide substantial investment to the sector. We are also keen to influence how Primary Care Trust services and those relating to the Transformation / Personalisation agenda will be commissioned in the future. The Council is very likely to agree its allocation to the Council’s Main Voluntary Sector Grant Programme for 2011/12 at Cabinet in June (Decisions about successful grant applications are recommended to Cabinet in Dec 2010 and will be finalized when the Council agrees its budget in Feb 2011 which is normal practice each year).

Links for more information and Appendices Download appendix one - Cuts on the sector (49 KB) HCVS contacts for more information For COMPACT queries contact: rebecca@hcvs.org.uk For strategic queries about the cuts please contact: jake@hcvs.org.uk For CEN queries please contact: liz@hcvs.org.uk or andrea@hcvs.org.uk

HCVS is currently considering a range of specific support for local groups in difficult situations on top of our current provision. For example: