Charities face huge funding cut-backs

CHARITIES from across Luton and Bedfordshire are among 2,000 worst hit by local authority funding cuts, according to a protest group.

Figures obtained via Freedom of Information requests by the False Economy group reveal that 37 charities under the jurisdiction of Central Bedfordshire Council have had their budgets slashed or completely wiped out due to swingeing cuts.

The vast majority of affected charities, 34 in all, face ‘substantive’ decreases in budget with a further three facing minor cuts.

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Organisations hit include Action for Children, Adoption UK and disability charity Advocacy Alliance.

The county’s Alzheimer’s Society has seen its budget chopped by just over £4,000 for 2011/12, while Bedfordshire & Luton MIND will be handed £6,261 less.

Bedfordshire Link Health, a group hosted by Voluntary Action Luton, has seen its funding fall from £84,000 to £4,000 for the year.

Meanwhile, the Luton Law Centre’s allowance has been axed in its entirety, as has funding for benefits and debt advice service Luton Rights and the Sorted counselling service for young people, which received £21,000 last year.

All 37 charities have been hit by cuts of £929,587 in all.

There are 475 charities under Central Beds in total.

The group are yet to receive a response from Luton Borough Council relating to the 272 charities solely under its jurisdiction.