Dumbarton charity stage protest over proposed budget cuts

The protest took place as the local authority’s Health & Social Care Partnership (HSCP) board met to discuss various items including its budget for 2024/25.

Amongst the proposed savings options was a reduction of block-funded grants.

This includes funding provided to Ben View Resource Centre in Dumbarton.

Crowds gathered at around 1.15pm on March 28 (Image: Newsquest Staff)Documents published by West Dunbartonshire HSCP state that the charity, which delivers community care services across the region, currently receives a block grant of £154,000.

The proposed cuts would affect Ben View’s lunch club and bathing service.

The documents read: “The HSCP provides a block grant of £0.154m to Ben View and is subject to Adult Social Care Pay uplifts.

“There is no formula which splits the block grant between the lunch club and the bathing service. It is recommended to cease the block funding of the day support service and move to a framework model of contract.

“This means the provider will only be paid for the sessions delivered. With regard to the bathing service, cease the block funding of the service and move to a framework model of contract.

“This means the provider will only be paid for the sessions delivered.”

Proposals recommend cutting the lunch club budget from £78,000 to £52,000 and the bathing service budget from £75,000 to £39,000.

If approved this would be a reduction of approximately £62,000.

The impact and risk assessment states that “there will be limited impact to service users currently as the reduced expected spend is based on current attendance”.

However, Rachael Hughes, a youth worker at Ben View, disagrees.

Little Teddy showed his support (Image: Newsquest staff)

She said: “It’s a big percentage [of funding] and if it were to go ahead the centre would probably have to shut.

“Although the cuts are focused on the bathing service and lunch club, we are only a small centre and it will have a knock-on effect on every single one of our services.

“We are in shock, we weren’t expecting it. Emotions are very high, we’re like a family so we want to keep things open, and we’re very passionate about it.

“The lunch club tackles social isolation in over 60s. It runs Monday to Friday and we can serve up to about 80 meals per week.

“That can be the only interaction some people get. Everyone’s in disbelief because they never thought our name would come up in this. We found out pretty last minute.

“It was last Thursday evening that we got an email saying that the documents were going to be released but they weren’t released until 8pm that evening and we only really had the week to gain support and try to get momentum behind what we’re doing.

“There wasn’t much communication at all.”

The charity, which also runs youth clubs, launched a petition last week calling on WDHSCP to reject this savings option as it was concerned that it “wouldn’t survive in any shape or form with this level of funding cut”.

It has so far received nearly 1500 signatures and the backing of Clydebank footballing sensation John McGinn.

WDC has been contacted for comment.