The Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations says any mid-year funding cuts would be totally unacceptable and would mean essential services and jobs being lost.

Ten GWSF member associations are among the recipients of Investing in Communities Fund monies. All have been told that their funding will be subject to a month-by-month review from October this year.

Scottish Government officials have told the associations that “significant and difficult decisions are having to be made across government and public bodies, directing substantial investment towards the priorities and key outcomes set out in the government’s programme”.

Colleen Rowan

GWSF’s research and policy lead Colleen Rowan said: “ICF funding provides a crucial range of supports to our members’ communities through a range of activities. These facilitate access to food and fuel as well as broader community development support which builds resilience and wellbeing and enables a practical, tangible focus on placemaking.

“Whilst the small print always says funding can’t be guaranteed, we rarely, if ever, see money withdrawn part way through the year, and the threat has come as a shock.

“We’ll be emphasising to ministers that ICF funding is a critical support through which our members, as community anchor bodies, help the Scottish Government meet its key objectives across a swathe of policy areas.”

Ms Rowan continued: “The message we’re getting from the Scottish Government is about focusing on key priorities, so it does seem counter-intuitive to even be considering withdrawing funding which helps to mitigate child poverty and plug gaps in public services.

“We can’t be blamed for wondering just how much of a priority investing in communities is for the Scottish Government.

“As one of our members told us this week – ‘like many other community based associations, the area we serve suffers multiple deprivation. The work we’ve been able to deliver with the ICF funding has made such a positive difference to many people’s lives’.”