Cuts to the Derbyshire Voluntary sector – have your say now

Cuts to the Derbyshire Voluntary sector – have your say now

It is potentially devastating news for voluntary organisations and community groups across Derbyshire. On the 28th May 2024, a 12-week consultation period was launched.

The consultation is open to anyone who lives in Derbyshire (not Derby City).
Due to Derbyshire County Council’s financial situation, they are considering how to prioritise spending on services they are required to provide by law against those that they are not required by law to deliver.

The impact of this could be catastrophic for the voluntary sector across Derbyshire AND the thousands of people they support.

The consultation is called “End of Discretionary Grant Funding”. The Council seem to be clear about what their intentions are. If we have any chance of changing their mind we need as many people as possible to complete the consultation.

What do they want to stop funding?

The proposal is to stop adult social care grants, which would affect 30 community and voluntary groups. In total these currently receive annual grants totalling just over £722,000.

A further 20 groups would be affected by the proposal to stop corporate services and transformation grants. These receive grants totalling just over £333,000.

Seven of the organisations are affected by both proposals.
Erewash Voluntary Action currently receives £107,000 through the Corporate Services and Transformation Grants Scheme. This goes towards our infrastructure work and for our shopping and befriending service.

If the DCC funding was to end it would be very difficult for us to continue our work or to participate in any infrastructure networks, emergency response forums or work collaboratively across sectors. The strength of our response to the pandemic and the cost of living crisis has relied upon these strong linkages.
PLEASE, take 5 minutes to read the information on the Council’s website and then complete the consultation. Paper versions of the consultation are available to people who do not have access to a digital device.
To read more about the consultation please click here
To go straight to the consultation (it takes less than 5 minutes to complete) please click on this link

Thank you!

There are library drop-in sessions run by DCC to help people take part in the consultation, between 10am and midday at:

Chesterfield Library on 5 June 2024

Long Eaton Library on 6 June 2024

Eckington Library on 7 June 2024

Ashbourne Library on 12 June 2024

Bolsover Library on 17 June 2024

Ilkeston Library on 18 June 2024

Heanor Library on 19 June 2024

Buxton Library on 2 July 2024