The Government has published its
response to the Commission on Integration and Social
Cohesion.
The Government has not adopted the Commission's line that single
group funding should be the exception rather than the rule. It
recognises that well-evidenced needs of single groups should be met
from public funds. NAVCA opposed the idea that grants to single
groups should be advertised, and government now suggests that local
councils should announce all grants to local groups.
The Government has also published a
consultation document on cohesion guidance for funders; closing
date 26 May.
The consultation gives at least six references to single groups
which should be funded: young black men involved in crime; victims
of hate crime; women's services; victims of domestic violence;
black boys who don't do well at school; newly arrived young people
with language needs.
It recommends that local authorities have a community cohesion
strategy and use this as a basis for decisions about grants. But it
stresses that the equalities strategy should relate to this and
restates that the equality strategy 'may well rely on some
organisations arranged around a particular identity or group'.
The important decisions will be taken locally. A local authority
officer could take different extracts from this consultation to
support ending single group funding. Therefore NAVCA strongly
encourages its members to engage with this consultation.
Commission on
Integration and Cohesion