Originally posted @ 11:03 pm, Sat 5th Feb 2011
One of the most distressing aspects of the cuts has been the debacle over the cuts in grant for Supporting People, a programme introduced to help those most in need.
Partly, because the full scale of the cuts were not made clear until the final announcement in December.
In Nottingham, government funding for Supporting People will reduce from £22.337m to £12.395m.
An unedifying row has broken out in the local media about how to interpret the degree of Government funding, but when the overall reduction in grant for the council is £60m or so (£62.4m), it a bit odd to see the Conservative Ministers making such strident protests. Especially when some councils have had an increase in the funding (Bexley I believe) and some other councils are not spending anything on Supporting People despite receiving grant (I understand this includes Birmingham City).
Middlesbrough and Blackpool are shouting loudly in protest.
At a protest meeting called by the local strategic partnership and the city council last night, Framework, one of the local suppliers of homes and support for people most in need explained how they are planning a judicial review against both the government and the council, although since the council haven't yet made their final decision, this seems a trifle early.
Nottingham is still planning to spend £2m more than the grant made available, despite the £60m cut, but some Nottingham bloggers have still suggested the council could do more - a less than generous assessment.
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