Charity changes ‘moving too fast’

CHANGES to the way charities are supported by Oldham Council should be put off for 18 months, scrutiny councillors are recommending.

Charities and voluntary groups on the Priority Programme, which get funds annually from Oldham Council, have told councillors that plans to begin commissioning services from them are moving too fast.

And without council support for their core costs, which help them lever in money from other sources, the charities could find themselves in difficulties.

The council has been trimming the charities it supports for several years, sticking to a core group which supports its aims and objectives, and beginning a switch from straight-forward funding, to paying to commission services from them.

The councillors on the Task and Finish Group will send their findings to the decision-making Cabinet, and from there to the full council.

The group held three sets of talks with charities ranging from Anchor Trust Staying Put, which helps older people stay in their own homes, to Voluntary Action Oldham and the Pakistani Community Centre.

And their views were that the timescale for commissioning services is too short, and there has been little meaningful consultation about the changes.

The group says a ‘root and branch’ examination of all the grants awarded to voluntary and community services is needed.

If commissioning is introduced it should be used to promote partnerships between the public and the voluntary sector.

They are recommending that changes should be deferred until April 1, 2010, after a detailed review of them, and of all grants made by the council.