It is the 21 February and the days are getting longer but more importantly, the future is looking brighter (writes EVOC CEO BRUCE CRAWFORD).
EIJB Fund Cuts
On Thursday (yesterday) the City of Edinburgh Council held a full Council meeting. I was in attendance to make a deputation on behalf of the voluntary organisations impacted by the cuts by the EIJB grants programme for social care.
This followed months of work by colleagues from across the sector who have worked tirelessly for the affected organisations. The work was largely done by members of the Third Sector Reference Group that came into existence after the EIJB meeting on 1 November which led to a three month extension to June 2025.
The eventual outcome is that the £4.5m grants programme has been replaced for the next financial year, so services can continue to be delivered to many of the most vulnerable people in our communities.
Further work needs to be done in the coming weeks and months to help the officers to create the mechanism for disbursement of the funds.
I want to thank all the individuals who contributed to this success, it is evidence of the need to work together, focus on the needs of our communities and stand up for what is right. I hope that we can build on the experience to generate continued investment into the sector as this will not be the last challenge we face.
A key function of EVOC is advocacy and this includes responding to consultations on proposed legislation and strategies. A current example of this is the draft Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board’s strategy 2025-28.
We have published information on our work in this area on our website. It includes a presentation and a video that explains the draft strategy.
To inform our response we have asked a number of questions through an online survey. Despite our request for an extension, the deadline from the EIJB is this Sunday (23 Feb 2025) and there is still no easy read version available.
We encourage everyone who is interested in, or affected by this, to submit a response here.
Looking Forward
On 29 January I attended my first EVOC board meeting and found it to be useful and productive in equal measures. In the spirit of openness and transparency the directors unanimously agreed to my proposal to publish minutes of EVOC board meetings on the website. The minute of that meeting can be found here.
Following the challenges faced by EVOC in 2024 we created a recovery plan and are well on the way to developing a more robust and resilient organisation.
Some key changes are: improved policies and procedures, greater financial scrutiny and forecasting, better communication, along with a new risk management policy and risk register and a new strategic plan that focuses on the core purpose of the organisation to serve the needs of the sector.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the survey that we issued last month to inform our understanding of the needs of our members. We received a great deal of useful feedback and it will help our thinking as we develop the strategic plan for EVOC for 2025-2030.
Finally I am looking forward to our AGM on 26 February.
It is being held online to help make attendance as easy as possible. Details of how to register for the meeting are available here.
A Third Sector Response to the Draft EIJB Strategic Plan for 2025-28
In response to the EIJB consultation inviting people and organisations to have a say on the draft Strategic Plan for 2025 – 28, the Third Sector Reference Group is working on a contribution on behalf of our sector.
This is another in a series of actions in light of the future funding crisis third sector organisations are facing across the city.
Your input to this response is vital and we would ask any and all third sector groups and organisations to share your hopes, fears and priorities, by answering the 9 questions in this short survey.
You are also encouraged to submit a separate response individually, feeding back on the identified priorities, planned actions and measures of success.
You can find out more and submit a response to the consultation here.
Please be aware that the deadline for the consultation submission is extremely tight – Sunday 23rd Feb 2025.
This is strongly influencing the actions we are focusing on to deliver the best outcome for the sector.
The Reference Group has pulled together several resources that you might find useful:
Edinburgh’s third sector is facing a funding crisis that could result in the loss of essential health and social care services. Sixty-four third sector organisations, which provide vital support to the city’s most vulnerable residents, are at risk following proposed funding cuts by the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB).
The potential closure of these organisations would not only impact service users but could also lead to the loss of 200 jobs, many through compulsory redundancies.
Scottish Labour MSP for the Lothian Region, Foysol Choudhury, is actively engaging with Edinburgh City Council to advocate for greater clarity and support for these organisations. “I have been asking the council to consider taking over the funding of the 64 organisations,” he said.
In response, Councillor Jane Meagher, Leader of Edinburgh City Council, has indicated a positive step forward: “Our Finance Convenor proposed an additional £2 million of transition funding for Edinburgh’s third sector service providers.
“The work that these organisations do helps local people, many of whom desperately need this assistance and support.
“I’m pleased that by raising this in Committee, we allowed all attending councillors to indicate support for finding more money to help Edinburgh’s charitable and volunteering groups, some of which are facing existential cuts following a decision by the EIJB.”
Community Pressure and Temporary Relief
Public outcry in response to the proposed cuts in November 2024 led to their rejection, with the EIJB pledging to collaborate with affected organisations to seek alternative solutions.
In December 2024, the EIJB extended the existing grants—originally set to expire on 31 March 2025—by three months. However, this extension provides only temporary relief, with no long-term security for the organisations involved.
While some may secure alternative funding, others could be forced to close, leaving significant gaps in service provision.
Council Report Highlights Risks
A report submitted to Edinburgh City Council and Officers following an initial assessment of the situation highlighted serious concerns.
The report concluded that the closure of the EIJB grants programme poses a substantial risk to the financial viability of many third sector organisations, many of which are key partners in delivering council services.
The potential closure of these organisations could undermine the council’s ability to deliver existing projects, programmes, and priorities, further exacerbating social inequalities across Edinburgh.
A Call for Sustainable Solutions
MSP Choudhury remains committed to advocating for a sustainable funding solution that protects essential services and jobs: “I will continue to push for sustainable funding solutions that protect the essential services our communities rely on,” Mr Choudhury affirmed.
With the future of Edinburgh’s third sector organisations hanging in the balance, all eyes are now on the council and EIJB to ensure long-term solutions are found to protect these vital services.
We would like you to share your views on Edinburgh Integration Joint Board’s (IJB) Draft Strategic Plan.
This plan covers the three financial years running from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028.
Our purpose as an IJB is to provide the best health and social care services that we can with the resources we have available.
This means working to make Edinburgh a safer, healthier and fairer place to live for everybody.
This latest version of the plan has been produced with extensive input from the citizens of Edinburgh and the many organisations and teams that serve our communities.
We would like to know if you think we have the right priorities, if you agree with what we are planning to do and if you think the way we plan to measure our success is right. Please use the form on the following pages to tell us what you think. You can answer as many or as few of the questions as you like.
To attendees and those who wished to be kept in touch about conference developments:
Hi,
Thank you for attending the workshop on Saturday or for expressing an interest in campaign developments. We will produce a written report on the conclusions arising out of the discussion at the plenary session of the workshop.
Attached is the agenda for the workshop on Saturday,
One of the key issues to be discussed at the workshop is the City Council’s response to the proposed cut in funding to third sector organisations.
The cut will take effect on 30/6/25. However, we understand that Council action to mitigate the effects of the cuts will be discussed during the Council’s budget setting meeting on 20/2/25.
There may need to be a lobby of the Council meeting.
Regards,
Des Loughney Secretary Edinburgh TUC
EDINBURGH SOCIAL CARE CAMPAIGN – THE WAY FORWARD
Unitecd Augustine Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EL
Workshop Saturday 18th January 2025
AGENDA
Chair: Ian Mullen (UNISON City of Edinburgh Council Branch)
9.30 am – 10.00 am: Tea/ coffee and biscuits.
10.00 am – 11 am. Introduction to workshop
Des Loughney – Secretary, UNITE Edinburgh Not For Profit Branch (1)
Councillor Tim Pogson – Vice Chair of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (2)
Denise Ritchie: Fair Work Project Officer, Scottish Trades Union Congress (3)
Linda Sommerville: Deputy General Secretary, Scottish Trades Union Congress. (3)
11am to 12.30pm Working Groups ( two)
12.30 pm to 1.00 pm – Plenary Session and summing up.
Speakers:
Des Loughney will comment on the impact of the proposed EIJB cuts on services and third sector worker terms and conditions. The impact includes compulsory redundancies and downgrading of contracts of employment from guaranteed working weeks to zero hour contracts,
Councillor Tim Pogson will update us on the response of the Council to the proposed EIJB cuts. The City Council is seeking to mitigate the impact of the cuts on the third sector.
Denise Ritchie and Linda Sommervile will brief the workshop on proposed campaigning activity at a local level and a Scottish level.
Preliminary Notice of Anti Cuts Conference – Saturday 18th January 2025
Augustine United Church – George IV Bridge Edinburgh
9.30 am – Doors Open – Tea/Coffee and Biscuits
10.00am – 1pm Conference
The Conference is being convened by Edinburgh Trade Union Council and the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC).
The purpose of the Conference is to consider how best to fight the social care and health service cuts that are being planned by the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB).
Crucial budget decisions are going to be made by the Scottish Government and the City Council over the next two or three months which will determine the level of cuts.
The conference will discuss how best to lobby to obtain the resources needed to meet service demands. This will include the services provided by the 64 third sector organisations Edinburgh that are threatened with cuts and redundancies.
The conference is open to the public. The agenda will be an introductory session, workshops and a final plenary session. The conference will have input from speakers from the STUC. We will invite a speaker from amongst the Councillors on the EIJB and a speaker representative of Edinburgh community health organisations.
We hope the conference will be able to draw up a City wide plan for lobbying and campaigning.
More details of the conference will be circulated on Monday 6th January 2025. Any comments or queries in the meantime will be responded to on 23/12/24 and 27/12/24.
It has been six weeks since the decision by the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board (EIJB) to retain the Third Sector Grants Programme, worth £4.5 million, until the end of this financial year.
While a much-welcomed reversal of the initial proposal to pull the grant from 64 charities from January 2025, the forecasted cuts have left many of these registered charities in Edinburgh in doubt over their long-term future.
Edinburgh Community Health Forum strategic development managerStephanie-Anne Harris,said: “Without the necessary funding, closures are inevitable. These community-led charities cannot afford to exist without long-term public funding, and the threat of this being removed is hanging over their heads, preventing future planning.
“Edinburgh Health Community Forum has heard from many member organisations that are expecting to have to start the process of shutting down in January due to the EIJB’s decision.”
One such organisation is the Murrayfield Dementia Project, which provides lunch clubs and day services for those who are elderly and frail or living with early-stage dementia.
The termination of the EIJB funding will remove this service from the 20 members who attend each week, with repercussions for their carers and families. It will also result in five members of staff being made redundant and eight voluntary opportunities being stopped.
Jenny Rowe, Project Coordinator at Murrayfield Dementia Project, said “The EIJB reprieve has only prolonged the inevitable. As a small, community organisation, we need to know whether future funding will be made available, and if not, we will be forced to close.
“The loss of vital services, such as Murrayfield Dementia Service will not only impact those who directly benefit from them. Without the support offered by Third Sector organisations, we will undoubtedly see an increased pressure on Scotland’s wider health and social care services, which are already at breaking point”.
This is exemplified in the case of Phonelink Edinburgh, a twice-daily check call service for the over 60s that offers social interaction, medication prompts, welfare and safety checks, and eating and drinking prompts.
Kellie Mercer, Manager of Phonelink Edinburgh, commented “Phonelink Edinburgh receives £89,000 in funding from the EIJB grant.
“Among other check-ins, we carry out 128 medication prompts twice daily, 7 days a week. The estimated cost for Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership (EHSCP) to do the same would be £256,960 – and that is without considering the other welfare and safety services Phonelink Edinburgh offers.”
A Therapy Assistant Practitioner from the Western General Hospitalgave a real life example of the importance of the Phonelink Service: “A patient was medically fit for discharge but needed medication prompts to allow this to happen.
“So Phonelink was contacted by email for a twice daily medication prompt. The email was received at 3.48pm, the service set up at 4.30pm, with the patient discharged that evening, and the service started at 7.30pm.
With unprecedented budgetary challenges facing the EIJB, and the necessary shifting in strategic priorities, the cessation of the Third Sector Grants Programme may well be unavoidable.
If this is to be the case, Stephanie-Anne Harris argues for a planned transition with interim support made available:
“Sufficient time and planning must be given to avoid devastating consequences for Edinburgh’s most vulnerable citizens.
“This requires a collaborative approach, including Third Sector representatives, NHS Lothian and the City of Edinburgh Council to establish a clear timeline and secure alternative funding to prevent the immediate loss of vital services which currently benefit over 50,000 people across Edinburgh.
“Without Edinburgh charities and Third Sector organisations, the fabric of the community collapses. It is imperative that together we carve out a sustainable future for the City’s Third Sector, one that delivers high-impact services, strengthens community resilience, reduces pressure on statutory services and achieves better outcomes for Edinburgh’s most vulnerable citizens.
“We urge Edinburgh City Council and the EIJB to step up, provide clarity, and commit to funding that ensures these vital organisations can continue their essential work beyond the end of March 2025. ”
Thanks to everyone who has given us feedback so far by completing our survey!
GIC are passionate about providing the best possible service to our clients and we are delighted with the results and the many positive comments we’ve received since April:
The financial situation of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) is very challenging. In 2025/26, the IJB seek to realise around £51m of savings. Future years will see further savings required, currently estimated to be £76m in 2026/27 and £105m in 2027/28.
These savings will be difficult and their impact will be substantial. So, managing change, and ensuring key services are delivered to communities will require collaboration by the IJB and city partners, including the Third Sector.
Reference Group
On November 1 2024, Third Sector representatives presented deputations to the EIJB challenging proposals around the Third Sector Grants Programme and an in-year cut (2024/2025). The IJB did not approve the proposal for the in-year cut with an alternative proposal being approved.
Following that meeting, the IJB invited Third Sector representatives to talk through concerns and identify areas to work together. To inform those meetings, EVOC and their TSI partners collaborated with the Edinburgh Community Health Forum and representatives of other Third Sector interests across the city to create a Reference Group.
The purpose of the Reference Group is to:
inform governance and city partnerships
assert the value of the Sector
shape investment
support change
distil the voices of the Third Sector to effectively represent the sector on the IJB
EIJB Engagement and Proposals
The Reference Group has rapidly considered the short-term issues around funding, and the longer-term issues of future partnership models, sharing a briefing note with the IJB on issues and options in early December. The engagement with EIJB has been positive given the difficult circumstances, and this positive engagement has resulted in an EIJB paper to the December Board which recommends:
That the Health Inequalities grants programme, due to end on 31 March 2025 should be extended for three months into 2025/26 which will help provide time for the organisations affected to adapt.
The Board support work currently underway to undertake a series of collaborative workshops which will inform some of the savings proposals and invest-to-save opportunities that will be submitted for consideration by the EIJB in March 2025.
In the current landscape this is a positive outcome for the Third Sector, informed directly by the voice, needs and priorities of the Sector.
City of Edinburgh Council Engagement and Proposals
Given the challenges to funding for the Third Sector and the impact cuts will have to the viability of Third Sector Organisations, the Reference Group have also argued the need for a cross city partnership approach to investment.
Following the November 1 EIJB meeting, the TSI wrote to the Chair of the EIJB, the Chief Executive of City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian asserting the need to [a] reset investment [b] reform ways of working [c] repair relationships. In the immediate term, a key priority is to secure a commitment from City of Edinburgh to invest to mitigate the risks to critical and anchor organisations.
On December 10 the Council Policy and Sustainability Committee considered and approved a proposal that recognised that the Council may need to provide core or foundational funding to stabilise vital third sector organisations. The TSI with ECHF collaborated to present a joint deputation, welcoming the Council proposal, and offering support.
Council officers were instructed to:
Work on a briefing paper for the Council’s political groups on what the Third sector needs now, specifically transitional funding, medium term, ahead of the Council setting its budget in February;
Undertake a review of all grant funding, exploring the provision of longer term, sustainable funding;
Work with the Edinburgh Partnership and Third Sector to co-design solutions, and agree terms of reference for a short life group and report back to Policy and Sustainability Committee in March.
Priorities: December EIJB meeting and Future Planning
The Reference Group will continue to meet and shape the next steps. An immediate priority is to agree on Terms of Reference and confirm representatives in the Group. We will be sharing a set of proposals before Christmas for your consideration.
A strong voice is essential to shape the long-term relationship with the EIJB and in particular the workshop series in spring 2025.
The Edinburgh TSI with EVOC and others from the Reference Group will support the paper to the EIJB on December 17 on progress on the Third Sector Grants Programme and the next steps in working collaboratively with the Sector, and also with the City of Edinburgh Council.
If you need any further information in advance of the IJB meeting tomorrow (Tuesday 17 December), please get in touch with us or reach out to any member of the Reference Group.
We will also provide regular briefings on progress, through the fortnightly EVOC E-news and targeted updates on key information as necessary.
I am writing to you to provide an update on Edinburgh TSI* activity since the EIJB Board meeting on November 1 and to invite your collaboration on the next steps.
Though it was welcome that the IJB agreed not to proceed with an in-year cut to the Third Sector Grants Programme, the process leading to that decision, and risks flowing from the meeting on November 1 remain very challenging.
Resolving the funding position for the Third Sector Grant recipients, and all third sector funding from the IJB for 2025/6 alongside co-designing the conditions of success for any future model of working in partnership is a key priority for the Sector, and as a consequence, for the Edinburgh TSI.
We believe the IJB proposals need to be part of a wider strategic conversation in the city about how we invest in the Third Sector, ensuring we have the right investment in the right places with the right capacity to deliver the most impact.
Edinburgh TSI letter following November 1
In the lead-up to the November 1 IJB meeting, we worked collaboratively with the Edinburgh Community Health Forum, and others across our sector to draw out information for briefings from affected TSOs through phone calls, questionnaires and meetings. This concluded with a detailed rebuttal of arguments in Paper 7.2, as presented to the IJB as well as a TSI deputation. The deputation sought to build on the arguments put forward by organisations for time to plan better and work differently.
Following that meeting, I wrote on behalf of the TSI to the Chair of the EIJB, the leader of the Council, the CEC Chief Executive and the NHS Lothian Chief Executive. I emphasised the need for:
Resetting investment: there is a need for a whole city conversation on a sustainable financial settlement for the Third Sector
Reforming ways of working: there needs to be a better approach to commissioning, valuing and supporting The Third Sector through change
Repairing relationships: recognising and valuing the value of the Third Sector contribution to communities is an important part of relationship development
Edinburgh IJB engagement on Third Sector Grants and contracts
Agreeing on a funding settlement for 2025/6 is a key objective for the Third Sector, both for the Third Sector Grants Programme and for the larger contracted services with Third Sector Organisations.
There are different possible scenarios. A best-case scenario might be a one-year continuation of the grants programme while time is dedicated to coherently and collaboratively designing a sustainable “replacement” which enables the IJB to purchase what they need and want from the Third Sector while providing foundational funding for the wider sector.
This will require a series of conversations, some sense of prioritisation and scoping of how to manage change. The big challenge is time. Initial discussions are progressing between Edinburgh TSI and the IJB on immediate priorities, and a meeting has been invited with CEC.
To inform the discussions on funding, the Edinburgh TSI met with a group of Third Sector partners to scope priorities. This includes articulating the real consequences of making any cuts on the Sector and its ability to deliver outcomes with communities; seeking confirmation on the priority focus for the IJB in 2025/6, and inviting discussion on options around the best use of our joint resources through a process of co-design. These conversations will need to be ongoing. We welcome your views as to how best to shape them.
Edinburgh IJB engagement on Public Social Partnership
Any change to a way of working to a Public Social Partnership or some other commissioning model by the IJB demands an investment of time up front.
This time is needed to confirm commitment to co-design to ensure that any partnership is a partnership, and any working relationship is founded on clear conditions for success.
This needs an investment in learning from other PSP’s in the city, what worked, and what didn’t, and it needs clarity on roles and responsibilities. In the meantime, a clear transition arrangement needs to be set out, describing how current commitments and contracts are to be managed.
Following the November 1 meeting, the IJB have been reviewing budget and partnership proposals. They have invited a group of Third Sector representatives to discuss how to progress partnership working together on shared issues and challenges.
The purpose of the meeting is to start a conversation about how best to work together, who to engage and what success looks like. The next steps will need wider conversations within the sector and between the sector and the IJB, and we invite your views as to how best to shape this.
Reference Group Proposal
The Third Sector has important Board roles on the EIJB and other city institutions. However, at the EIJB meeting, Cllr Pogson asked if there was enough Third Sector representation on the Board.
A reformed Board may be a future possibility, but meanwhile, it is critical to be able to support the people who occupy these Board seats so the voices of the sector feed into them, support and challenge them.
This is particularly the case in the next year or so where there will be very challenging issues and decisions to consider, with significant impact for the Sector.
To try and make sense of where to best put attention around these issues, we have convened a small, embryonic group of sector people. We aim to build this into a Reference Group with representation from across the Sector to distil and amplify the voices of the sector around priority issues. This will evolve over the next few months, and we invite your collaboration.
Our initial sense is that the areas of focus are about:
Asserting value: articulating the impact of the sector with fair methods of measurement
Supporting resilience: co-designing ways of working for sector sustainability
Shaping investment: making the case for ongoing investment around sector need
Informing governance: supporting Third Sector Board seats on city partnerships
We have developed Draft Terms of Reference for this Group, which builds on the current issues around the IJB but also focuses on the Third Sector as a whole.
Next steps
In sharing this context and background, it is my intention to work collaboratively to find a solution to the real risks we are facing as a sector.
In this context, I invite you to get in touch with initial feedback on the role of the TSI in shaping the Reference Group. In the meantime, Edinburgh TSI colleagues will continue to convene the sector through forums, networks and meetings, alongside the Edinburgh Community Health Forum.
Together, we can also continue to highlight the risks and impact of this loss of investment in the third sector, both individually and collectively.
Please get in touch and get involved. We recognise that our strength is in working together and supporting each other across our rich, diverse and talented Third Sector. I look forward to working with you.
