Greens want Brighton and Hove City Council to reallocate £70,000 set aside for a business study to be used to bridge spending cuts to a service providing refuge to LGBT victims of abuse.
They say the cuts will seriously affect “crucial services” and that the plans could be reversed by Labour councillors at the budget council meeting on Thursday.
Labour’s finance lead hit back saying they are “completely committed” to reducing violence against women and girls and refuge services to LGBT people.
Green Councillor Chloë Goldsmith, opposition spokeswoman on the council’s equalities committee, said: “We stand with campaigners shocked and outraged that Labour’s budget proposals take chunks out of the vital work of local domestic abuse charity Rise, with cuts threatening LGBT refuge spaces and wellbeing support for women and children.
“This is a matter of priorities and Rise has already had to fight for fair funding in previous years. Labour’s planned consultation events on combating violence against women and girls will mean nothing if crucial services that actually have an impact for survivors are put at risk by their proposed budget cuts.”
MOST READ:
To have access to all of our best stories subscribe to The Argus here
Green councillors have proposed an amendment to the budget which would move £70,000 set aside from a study into the feasibility of a new Business Improvement District.
They say the money would prevent the loss of four refuge places at the service, provided by Rise.
They said 41 survivors were helped through the Rise LGBT dispersed refuge service in 2023.
In response to the calls, Councillor Jacob Taylor, Brighton and Hove City Council’s finance lead, said that currently the contract managed by Rise would be recommissioned in September but with a £29,000 reduction in value.
He added: “As an administration, we are completely committed to the vital work that the council commissions to reduce violence against women and girls (VAWG), as well as refuge services offered to LGBT people. We will be maintaining a gross budget of over £1 million to support VAWG reduction in 2024/25.
“Rise continue to be a hugely important and valued partner for the council in this vitally important service area. It is worth noting that Rise currently holds a budget of £317,640 from council funding, the majority of which is unimpacted by these budget proposals.
“As part of our proposals to close an unprecedented budget gap of over £30 million for next year, we have put forward some savings in this area, which mainly reflect underspent budget last year, and increased efficiencies in the way services are delivered and commissioned.”
Budget proposals put forward by the council will be debated and voted on at the meeting on Thursday.
The budget comes as Labour seek to close a £30 million hole in finances to avoid bankruptcy.
Source link
[Featured]
[Just In]
