[WiLT] Single issue funding cuts - source of advice to challenge decision

[WiL Admin]

Single issue funding cuts - source of advice to challenge decision

Lost your money because you work with particular communities? Here's
help to challenge the decision

One of the concerns about single issue funding, and the current move
towards cohesion policies that fund only mainstream groups, is that
this fails to give appropriate weight to public funders' statutory
duties under the equalities legislation.

Specifically, there are duties on public authorities to have due
regard to the need to eliminate race, disability and gender
discrimination, to promote equality of opportunity, good race
relations and more.  Any decision to stop single issue funding, and to
fund all services via a mainstream provider, risks breaching these
duties, if the public body in question does not consider the adverse
impact such decisions may have on the protected groups (i.e. disabled
people, BME groups and women).

Public Law Project (PLP) has advised on a number of cases recently
where decisions based on a cohesion strategy or similar has led to a
possibly unlawful decision that does not address these duties, and
withdraws services unfairly from particular groups.  It is a worrying
trend that we are keen to tackle.

Voluntary sector organisations can contact PLP for free advice on 020
7697 2198 Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm or at
evs at publiclawproject.org.uk."

Source http://www.independentaction.net/singleissue