Derbyshire residents still have time to give their views on the future of two types of grant funding to voluntary and community groups across the county.
The public consultation asks people what they think about plans to end adult social care and corporate services and transformation discretionary grant funding in March 2025.
The county council has been funding voluntary organisations with annual grants for several years, over which time it has experienced growing financial pressures.
These include factors beyond the county council’s control including higher than anticipated inflation, higher prices for fuel, energy and materials, meeting the cost of the national pay award and the unprecedented increase in demand for adults’ and children’s social care services.
It means the council must now consider how it prioritises spending on services it is required to provide by law against those which it has no legal obligation to deliver.
The consultation runs until 20th August 2024 and people can give their views on both proposals by filling in an online questionnaire here.
An easy-read version of the online questionnaire is also available to fill in online and paper copies of both the standard and easy read questionnaire are available on request by emailing policy @ derbyshire.gov.uk
Direct consultation has been taking place with all the organisations affected as well as people who use them.
Councillor Natalie Hoy, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Care, said: “If you haven’t already given your views, then I’d encourage people to take part in the consultation. We want to hear from as many people as possible so that we can take everyone’s views in to consideration before making any decisions.
“Like all other councils across the country we’re facing increasing financial pressures that are outside our control.
“Many of these organisations have been receiving grants for up to 20 years as a matter of course. But over that time Derbyshire's population has changed – as have people’s aspirations, needs and preferences for support which is why we have to ensure we’re providing services they need.
“Our current financial challenges also mean it is absolutely essential that the limited funding we do have available is spent wisely and that’s why we want to hear from as many people as possible.”
Following a previous consultation in 2022, all groups receiving funding were told that grants would cease and the council would commission services where required instead. However, due to budget pressures, commissioning did not get underway and the council must now prioritise statutory services.
Councillor Carol Hart, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, added: “We have a responsibility to ensure that we are making the best use of our finite resources to support people fairly across the whole of the county and that we are protecting services for those people who need us most.
“Like many other councils across the country we are facing significant budget pressures that are beyond our control which means we must consider how we use the resources we have available to ensure we can continue to deliver services we have to by law.
“However I’d like to reassure people that these are proposals only and no decisions will be taken until we’ve had the chance to hear everyone’s views and take them in to account.”
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