TWO council-run care homes – Clovenstone and Ford’s Road – will close and third sector projects will see their funding cut by 10 per cent – £1.4 million – following yesterday’s Edinburgh Integration Joint Board meeting.
Board members were faced with a stark choice – accept the swingeing package of cuts tabled or leave the officers to do it themselves. The meeting heard there was no realistic alternative – no Plan B.
UNISON City of Edinburgh branch secretary David Harrold told EIJB board members: “Each and every one of you is presiding over the silent slaughter of Edinburgh’s essential care services. Yet each and every one of you has the ability to stop this by speaking out.”
But despite impassioned pleas from a succession of delegations urging a rethink, board members voted without dissent to accept officer recommendations to slash costs by almost £60 MILLION in an attempt to balance their books.
As ever, it’s the most vulnerable that will suffer most – the poorest communities, carers, older people … all will feel the effects of cuts of this magnitude.
The cuts will see projects cutting back the services they currently provide and in some cases will make redundancies inevitable.
Cuts to core funding will also limit match funding opportunities, and voluntary boards and management committees now face some dreadful decisions with the start of the new financial year less than two weeks away.
Other health and social care partnerships across the country are facing the same financial challenges:
Do you or your group use community transport in Edinburgh? Do you want to use community transport, but can’t get access? Are you struggling to get people to your group or activity?
Join us for an event where we’re bringing together the city’s top five community transport operators, City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Health & Social Care representatives to talk about how we move vulnerable and disabled people around the city.
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect and shape the future of community transport in Edinburgh!
Local MSP slams ‘drastic and nonsensical cut in funding’
Funding award grants for voluntary sector organisations is invariably difficult – for cash-strapped councils there is never enough money available to meet ever-growing demands.
There are winners and losers, but the latest round of funding decisions has caused particular anguish for Leith’s Citadel Youth Centre, who have learned that their annual award will by slashed by a swingeing £125,000.
Citadel’s Willy Barr (above) explained: “The city council’s Education, Children and Families meeting that took place on Monday 18th December to recommend grant awards to third sector organisations across the city.
“In the lead up to their meeting the Committee had not published a table of grant awards as they normally do, instead they contacted us on the Monday afternoon to inform us we had been recommended for a “partial award” of 50% of what we applied for, equating to £50,000 per year. We had applied for the maximum capped amount of £100k to fund our work with children and young people.
“This news has come as a huge disappointment, as although we expected a cut from our current annual grant of £175,000 per year, this reduction of £125,000 has been way more than we anticipated and will now seriously impact on the services and supports we offer to the local community, many of whom are already impacted by poverty and related issues affecting their mental health and well-being.”
In an appeal for their support, Willie Barr raised his concerns over the scale of the cut with local MSP Ben Macpherson, MP Deidre Brock and Leith councillors, making them aware of the size of the disinvestment in the Citadel, and the potential implications this could have on local services for local children, young people and their families.
As well as contacting Citadel’s local Leith politicians Willy will also be pressing Council Leader Cammy Day – who was himself once a youth participation worker in North Edinburgh – to rethink the scale of the cut, which is due to come into effect from 1st April.
Organisations were invited to apply for a grant of £10k minimum and £100k maximum per year to one of three funding strands – Learning Outcomes, Health and Wellbeing and Youth Work.
Both NHS Lothian and Police Scotland also contributed funding to the awards.
Eighty nine applications were assessed with total bids totalling £16.7m over three years for an available budget of £10m.
This was carried out by trained assessors before going to a moderation panel consisting of the Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC), Lothian Association of Youth Clubs (LAYC) and an independent chair.
Sixty eight organisations had their bids approved either in full or partially with the new grants programme running from 1 April 2024 through to 31 March 2027.
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Convener for the Education, Children and Families Committee, said when the awards were announced: “The Connected Communities Edinburgh grants programme aims to support vulnerable and disadvantaged young people and their families right across Edinburgh.
“The three different funding strands mean we can direct resources to deliver outcomes that best support those most impacted by poverty.
“This new programme is a really good example of partnership working at its best. We listened to third sector and voluntary organisations about their first-hand knowledge of what the need was in our communities and where funding should be directed.
“Getting to today’s decision has involved a lengthy and really robust assessment process and I want to thank everyone who has contributed. We will of course continue to monitor the progress of the funding over the coming three years to ensure the outcomes promised for our communities are being delivered.”
‘A really good example of partnership working at it’s best? Willie has pointed out concerns over the funding process:
Lack of Transparency:
“In the first instance, the whole process of applying for our grant has been suffered from a lack of transparency and has had a feeling of secrecy about it.
“There has been no consultation with us or the wider sector, similar to what has happened in previous years. Instead, there has been a short briefing opportunity for organisations to attend, facilitated by L.A.Y.C. and E.V.O.C. who have both been paid £120,000 and £100,000 respectively from the grant fund. (No application from them required!)
“Although this is public funds, there is still a refusal to share information about who has been awarded a grant and how much they are recommended to receive. This veil of secrecy surrounding this committee’s business doesn’t feel like an open democratic process.
“If you check the practice of other committees, such as the 5th December Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, which published a full list of agencies recommended (and not) for No One Left Behind funding prior to the meeting (pp106-107)
“By the Committee’s own admission, there has been no impact assessment carried out on their decisions relating to these grant proposals.
Apparently, any impact assessment process will take place once organisations are told the level of their award which seems a bit late to me. What is really lacking is asking for an impact assessment specifically focusing on the implications of withdrawing financial support from organisations in a sudden manner.
“There may be ways the city council could support organisations in a way to avoid drastic service cuts, or even closure, by a graded reduction in funds.
(note that this goes against one of the central recommendations from the Lessons Learned from previous third-party grant processes that “An Equalities and Rights Impact Assessment should be completed prior to the report going to Committee so that Members are able to make decisions that take account of that information and recommendations for action.” (3.26)
Willie concluded: “Our normal activity for everyone at the Citadel at the start of any new year is around planning and positive thoughts about what opportunities lie ahead, but to be honest, I anticipate this decision will have a huge impact on current morale.”
Urging a rethink, local MSP Ben Macpherson appealed to funders ‘to reconsider this drastic and nonsensical sudden cut in funding, which will negatively affect a well-known respected and impactful organisation’.
Leith MP Deidre Brock said: ““I’m very concerned by this news. A funding cut of this size will have profound effects on the ability of the Citadel Youth Centre to continue to provide anything like the level of amazing services and support to vulnerable individuals and families in Leith they provide now.
“I find it shocking there has been no dialogue with any of the organisations involved, no impact assessment of the consequences of this cut in funding and by the wholesale lack of transparency throughout the grant process.
“This will, I greatly fear, have long term impacts and consequences wider than the organisations involved, impacting communities already reeling from Westminster Tory cuts.”
The Spirit of Leithers Facebook page also commented: “We try not to do current affairs too much on the Spirit of Leithers page, but come on CEC – the Citadel Youth Centre has been a Leith institution for decades.
“It is a shocking blow for Leith and many individuals and groups in the community. This project has supported so many Leithers over decades by delivering a superb service and saving the Council significant funding as a result of its preventative and direct work.
“I hope we will hear much more about the thinking behind this and a change of heart from City of Edinburgh Council.”
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES: AS EVER, WINNERS AND LOSERS IN FUNDING PROGRAMME
Tackling the impact of poverty on children, families and communities is at the heart of a £10m three year grants fund approved by the City of Edinburgh Council yesterday (Monday 18 December).
Organisations were invited to apply for a grant of £10k minimum and £100k maximum per year to one of three funding strands – Learning Outcomes, Health and Wellbeing and Youth Work.
Eligibility criteria for programme included that organisations are based in Edinburgh, hold charitable status, and have an annual income under £2 million. Both NHS Lothian and Police Scotland also contributed funding to the awards.
Eighty nine applications were assessed with total bids totalling £16.7m over three years for an available budget of £10m. This was carried out by trained assessors before going to a moderation panel consisting of the Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC), Lothian Association of Youth Clubs (LAYC) and an independent chair.
Sixty eight organisations had their bids approved either in full or partially with the new grants programme running from 1 April 2024 through to 31 March 2027.
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Convener for the Education, Children and Families Committee, said: “The Connected Communities Edinburgh grants programme aims to support vulnerable and disadvantaged young people and their families right across Edinburgh.
“The three different funding strands mean we can direct resources to deliver outcomes that best support those most impacted by poverty.
“This new programme is a really good example of partnership working at its best. We listened to third sector and voluntary organisations about their first-hand knowledge of what the need was in our communities and where funding should be directed.
“Getting to today’s decision has involved a lengthy and really robust assessment process and I want to thank everyone who has contributed.
£We will of course continue to monitor the progress of the funding over the coming three years to ensure the outcomes promised for our communities are being delivered.”
Three Edinburgh projects were honoured at the Scottish Public Service Awards 2023 this week (December 6).
The awards, which are in their tenth year, are run by Holyrood Communications in partnership with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament to help celebrate the contribution of public servants.
Edinburgh’s response to supporting Ukrainian refugees was a standout of the evening winning two awards.
Edinburgh’s Warm Scots Welcome is a community and voluntary sector partnership which has helped welcome more than 11,000 Ukrainian refugees since the Russian invasion early last year.
The initiative, which was organised in collaboration between the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC) and Volunteer Edinburgh (VE), won the Voluntary Sector Partnership Award.
The Edinburgh Ukrainian Welcome Hub also won the Commercial Partnerships Award.
This was a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council and NatWest Group/Royal Bank of Scotland which has supported Ukrainians arriving in Scotland by providing property and facilities management, opening bank accounts, raising aid, distributing donations, volunteering, running events, giving specialist expertise, and offering women and girls tech training and employment.
Approximately 3,000 Ukrainians (representing up to 900 households), currently reside in Edinburgh, with over 350 children and young people in our education system.
There was also a victory for the Integrated Regional Employability and Skills Programme (IRES), as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal programme, which took the Project and Programme Management Award.
IRES seeks to evolve regional labour market policy and practice to drive inclusive growth, promising to deliver an additional 14,700 skill improvements across the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region and help 5,300 people into employment.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “I’m absolutely delighted to see the fantastic work in our city being recognised.
“Edinburgh’s solidarity and support for Ukraine and the Ukrainians who now call Edinburgh home is unwavering. These awards highlight the extensive partnership work between local government, third sector, private sector and other partners that has taken place across the city since the start of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine in February 2022.
“As we shift our focus from welcoming our Ukrainian guests to helping with settling into their new lives here in Edinburgh, this strength of partnership is as important as ever. I’d like to wholeheartedly thank all our partners and the people of Edinburgh for all their efforts.
“Employment, upskilling, and improving the working lives of our residents are also key priorities, and it’s great to see that these have been recognised in IRES’s award.”
Edinburgh is a five-time nominee for this year’s Scottish Public Service Awards. Now in their tenth year, the awards are run by Holyrood Communications in partnership with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament to help celebrate the contribution of public servants.
Capital-based nominees include Edinburgh’s Warm Scots Welcome, a community and voluntary sector partnership which has helped welcome more than 11,000 Ukrainian refugees since the Russian invasion early last year.
The initiative, which was organised in collaboration between the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC) and Volunteer Edinburgh (VE), is in the running for the Voluntary Sector Partnership Award.
Also nominated is the Edinburgh Ukrainian Welcome Hub, a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council and the Royal Bank of Scotland which has supported Ukrainians arriving in Scotland by providing property and facilities management, opening bank accounts, raising aid, distributing donations, volunteering, running events, giving specialist expertise, and offering women and girls tech training and employment. The project is in the running for the Commercial Partnerships Award.
The City of Edinburgh Council-led Granton Waterfront Regeneration has also been shortlisted for this year’sSustainability Award.
Led by the council, the plan involves working with partners to deliver a new and sustainable 20 minute neighbourhood community for Edinburgh. The regeneration is already underway and once complete, will feature around 3,500 new net zero carbon homes and business start- up space.
This is all within what will become Europe’s largest coastal park – with new and enhanced green spaces and opportunities for the creative arts, culture, and leisure, connected to the rest of the city by sustainable transport routes.
Welcoming the news Council Leader Cammy Day said: “We’ve been putting a huge amount of work and ambition into creating a better, greener, fairer future for residents so recognition like this – for how the Council and city partners are trailblazing in many areas of Scottish public service – is very welcome.
“For instance, the huge amount of change we’re seeing in Granton is creating an exciting and sustainable place to live, work, travel and have fun. It is fantastic to see it shortlisted for a sustainability award.
“It is also positive to see our efforts with partners to help those from Ukraine being recognised. These projects have allowed people to not only move to Scotland but put down roots. Our work with NatWest to help those fleeing war into work and study is one of three employability projects supported by the council to be nominated for an award.
“We face big decisions about how we address our housing and climate emergencies, and one of our biggest priorities is make sure those in our communities feel supported and welcome. All of these projects are successfully working towards that aim. I’d like to wish everyone involved in the very best of luck.”
Other council supported nominees include the Whole Family Equality Project, supported by the Capital City Partnership, which supports families from diverse ethnic backgrounds in Edinburgh to reach financial resilience, improved health and wellbeing, and positive participation in school life.
Delivered by Children 1st and CHAI and funded by the City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Government and Robertson Trust, the project empowers people to take leading roles in decision made about the project’s design and delivery and is nominated for the Championing Diversity and Inclusion Award.
The Integrated Regional Employability and Skills Programme (IRES) as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal programme, is also in the running for the Project and Programme Management Award.
The programme seeks to evolve regional labour market policy and practice to drive inclusive growth, promising to deliver deliver an additional 14,700 skill improvements across the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region and help 5,300 people into employment.
The finalists will be announced on Wednesday 6 December.
Edinburgh’s Community Link Worker Network has been recognised for the work they do to tackle health inequalities in this year’s Scottish Health Awards.
The Network has been chosen as one of three finalists for the 2023 Tackling Health Inequalities award, highlighting the impact of the 24 community link workers (CLWs) who are helping improve the lives of people in some of the most deprived areas in the city.
Alison Leitch, Assistant Service Manager for the Network said: “We are delighted that the work of Edinburgh’s Community Link Worker Network has been recognised by this nomination for the Tackling Health Inequalities Award.
“Over the past five years the Community Link Workers havw shown their adaptability and commitment through the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.
“They have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of people in the most need, building relationships and trust to focus on what matters to an individual, not what is the matter with them. As they concentrate on the activities that make the most difference to people and communities, both now and looking to the future, they continue to change lives for the better.”
The Network’s recently published annual review for 2022/23 illustrates the increasing impact that they are having in communities across the city and the real difference they are making for people facing a range of health inequalities.
Since 2018, Edinburgh’s CLWs have:
Received 19,220 referrals
Carried out 44,920 engagements
Made 29,425 links to community groups
Last year alone, they also successfully applied for nearly £100,000 of crisis grants on behalf of patients, helping them pay for necessities such as bills, clothes, furniture, equipment and so much more.
Ian Brooke, Deputy Chief Executive of EVOC (Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council) said: ‘I am so excited that Edinburgh’s Community Link Worker Network, which is funded by the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, is one of the finalists for this award.
“It’s a real testament to the Edinburgh model of community link working, where all staff are employed by local voluntary organisations and therefore truly embedded in communities across the city. The 24 CLWs are delivering real, tangible action to reduce health inequalities for people in the city.”
The 24 CLWs cover 45 GP practices in Edinburgh and are employed by ten different voluntary sector organisations – Carr Gomm, Caring In Craigmillar, Community Renewal, Cyrenians, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, Health All Round, Pilton Community Health Project, Penumbra, Space & Broomhouse Hub, The Health Agency.
The 2023 Scottish Health Awards will take place at the O2 Academy in Edinburgh on Thursday 2nd November.
Funding announced ahead of Independence Day of Ukraine
Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council (EVOC), Volunteer Edinburgh, The Welcoming Project, Feniks and the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain’s (AUGB) Edinburgh branch are sharing in more than £200,000 from the Scottish Government’s Ukraine Programme funding pot.
Migration Minister Emma Roddick said: “People all over Scotland, and particularly in Edinburgh, have welcomed those fleeing the war in Ukraine into their communities, their schools and workplaces and their homes.
“Third sector organisations have been at the heart of this warm welcome, supporting Ukrainians every step of the way. They have hosted English lessons, created social hubs and helped people to access local services.
“They have also showcased what can be achieved when national and local government, and the third sector work together, and this funding will help make sure this important partnership working continues.
“As we look ahead to the Independence Day of Ukraine, our message to Ukrainians remains clear: we stand with you, and we want Scotland to be your home for as long as you need it.”
The City of Edinburgh Council Leader Cammy Day said: “Third sector organisations here in Edinburgh have been a cornerstone of the partnership effort to support displaced Ukrainians over the last 18 months.
“I’m sure I speak on behalf of all colleagues when I say that they have made a real and tangible difference to the lives of the people who have fled their country following Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine.
“It is right and proper that these organisations are set to benefit from the Scottish Government’s Ukraine Programme funding.
“I have seen firsthand the difference that these organisations make in our communities across a wealth of different areas. From language classes to support with health and wellbeing to helping people into work and education and so much more their impact cannot be understated.
“I look forward to working closely with our third sector partners as we move forward in supporting our Ukrainian friends in the capital.”
Details of organisations outside Edinburgh receiving funding will be confirmed in due course.
