SHDC to review funding partners, focus on Citizen's Advice to help with cost of living rises

Every three years South Hams District Council reviews the money it awards to key local partners. 

This October the Council’s Executive will once again review its funding arrangements and one of their key recommendations will be to pledge more money to South Hams Citizens Advice. An important decision when the cost of living is escalating and more people are looking for advice.

At the moment, the cost of living poses a significant challenge to all families and businesses, and South Hams District Council knows that working with partners has never been more important. Tackling the current challenge is not something that the council can do alone and they intend to work closely with communities to get people the advice that they need.

While not all of the organisations on the list of key funding partners are involved in the cost of living crisis, the council recognises the important role that they all play in South Hams. By continuing to pledge their support, the council hopes that these organisations are able to continue their good work.

Cllr Jonathan Hawkins South Hams Lead Member for Communities, said: “South Hams District Council values its partnerships greatly, the work that many of these organisations do provides a truly important service to the public that the district council simply could not.

“From heritage and culture to transport and advice, personally I would like to offer some of these organisations a lot more, but we have a finite pot of money and we need to spend it wisely.

“I would like to give my special thanks to Citizens Advice for the essential work they do for so many people and their families. I would like to thank in particular the volunteers who help support these groups, their time and knowledge is an essential part of this partnership. There will be an even greater need for their services this winter as people struggle to heat their homes and put food on the table.”

In its review of partnership funding, the district council is proposing to maintain the grants to three partners, SW Museum Development Trust, Ivybridge Ring and Ride and South Hams CVS, they are then proposing to increase their contribution to Citizens Advice and the South Devon AONB for a further two years.

It is also recommended that the council’s officers enter discussions with Newton Abbot Community Transport to fully understand the contribution they make to residents within the District before finalising a decision on future funding.

Cllr Hawkins, added: “When the Executive meet on Thursday 13 October I will be proposing that we do not continue to fund Newton Abbott Community transport based on the application they submitted, but that we continue to work with them to understand how their service helps the residents of South Hams. This will help us understand if they can demonstrate a need for continued funding.

“We carry out these regular reviews to help us decide if the funding is being spent in the best interests of the residents of South Hams or if it could be spent better elsewhere. On this occasion, I feel that we need more information to decide if Newton Abbot Community Transport should continue to be funded.”

You can listen into the meeting on the Executive on the 13 October live on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/southhamscouncil to hear the councillors discuss the partnership funding recommendations for the next two years and make their recommendations to Full Council.

Or you can read the full report at www.southhams.gov.uk/Executive