PM offers comfort to voluntary and community groups threatened by cuts

PRIME MINISTER David Cameron was specifically asked about public spending cuts affecting voluntary and community groups in Parliament during PM's Question Time on Wednesday 15th September. In response to a Labour MP's assertion that many groups were on the brink of closure due to the cuts, the PM had this to say (Hansard: column 877):

"...what I would say to every council in the country, which is that we all know - and Opposition Members know - that we have to make spending reductions. The Opposition were committed to £44 billion of spending reductions at the last election, and we should say to every single council in the country, "When it comes to looking at and trimming your budgets, don't do the easy thing, which is to cut money to the voluntary bodies and organisations working in our communities. Look at your core costs. Look at how you can do more for less. Look at the value for money you get from working with the voluntary sector." (HU12 emphasis in bold)

Voluntary organisations across the HU12, Hull and East Yorkshire area should latch onto these words from David Cameron and insist that they are heeded by local authorities. Voluntary and community organisations are quite often closer to local people and have gained their trust, thus they can deliver services much more effectively and can offer good value for money.

Also see: Fears that cuts will hit voluntary and community groups including comments by Graham Stuart MP.

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