Local authorities have written to government calling for urgent grant support for community organisations.
Locality writes:
Keep it Local councils have written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport – to highlight the vital role local community organisation play and to call for an emergency grant package for voluntary sector organisations.
We are calling on government to do whatever it takes to support our local community organisations so we can work together to overcome the immediate crisis and begin to build our way out the other side.
The councils in the Keep it Local Network are committed to unlocking the power in their communities by building strong local partnerships, sharing power and maximising local strengths.
In their letter, they highlight how vital local community organisations are – both in providing an immediate response to Covid-19 (such as through experienced and expert coordination of new volunteers), but also in supporting neighbourhoods in the difficult months and years ahead.
The unprecedented emergency of Covid-19 is creating a social and economic crisis unseen by our generation and local community organisations are facing significant financial loss, reductions in staff and volunteers, and possible closure – all at a time when their communities will need them most.
The signatories of the letter are concerned that without significant intervention, local community organisations won’t be able to continue to play their critical role and are calling on government to do whatever it takes to support these organisations so councils can work with them to overcome the immediate crisis and begin to rebuild on the other side.
