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    06

    Feb 2022

    Last Updated: 04/02/2022
    Community
    Community

    Will Harrogate district charities lose funding in council shake-up?

    by Calvin Robinson

    | 06 Feb, 2022
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    Harrogate Borough Council funds many local voluntary organisations, such as Harrogate Homeless Project and Nidderdale Plus. So what will its abolition next year mean to charities?

    police-at-nidderdale-plus
    The counter service at the Nidderdale Plus Hub.

    Many charities in the Harrogate district rely significantly on Harrogate Borough Council for funding.

    So the council's abolition next year could pose a threat to the financial stability of some of the best-known voluntary organisations in the district.

    Richard Cooper, the Conservative leader of the council, said last month it had been a generous funder of charities and urged organisations to prepare for the change in the local government, which will see a single new unitary authority called North Yorkshire Council come into existence next year.

    He said:

    “One of the key things voluntary organisations must do over the next year is build relationships.”


    Local Fund 


    One of the district's main funding sources for charities is the Local Fund for the Harrogate District, which was set up in 2018 as a three-way partnership between Harrogate Borough Council, Harrogate & District Community Action and Two Ridings Community Foundation.

    Last year the fund awarded £85,000 to 29 community groups. Applications for its next funding round open on Monday.

    Local Fund

    An event last year celebrating the Local Fund.



    Last year Harrogate Borough Council gave £200,000 to Two Ridings Community Foundation, which administers the fund, to go towards an endowment so that the fund continues in perpetuity.

    It also receives a steady stream of income from the Local Lotto — and the future of this is less certain because it is run by Harrogate Borough Council.

    At least 60% from each £1 ticket sold on the lottery, which has a weekly £25,000 jackpot, goes towards the fund.



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    Jan Garrill, chief executive of Two Ridings Community Foundation, said

    "The Local Fund will continue and thrive as it is a fund with Two Ridings and out of any local government process."


    But Ms Garrill added she "could not comment" on the future of the Local Lotto because it is run by the council.

    Who else could be affected?


    Some charities also rely on council grants for funding.

    When the Stray Ferret asked for a list of recipients, the council directed us to a report from October last year that listed five beneficiaries of its voluntary and community sector strategic funding programme, which awards grants to charities to 'deliver key services across the Harrogate district'. But it does provide other grants.

    The recipients and sums received are:

    Harrogate and District Community Action - £40,000

    Harrogate and Craven Districts Citizens Advice - £60,000

    Harrogate Homeless Project - £22,500

    Nidderdale Plus Community Partnership - £8,000

    Community First Yorkshire - £5,000

    Frances Elliot, chief executive of Hadca, which supports other charities in the district, said that besides its £40,000 grant, it received a separate £32,000 grant from the council.

    Frances Elliot



    Ms Elliot said:

    "It's a difficult time for lots of organisations but it's relatively early in the transition. I genuinely don't know what will happen. We are optimistic for our funding over the next financial year and we will have to wait and see after that, People at the top don't know what's happening yet.
    "We have a good relationship with both Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council and we hope that continues."


    All the North Yorkshire councils facing abolition have various workstreams underway, considering what will happen after the shake-up. The voluntary sector is among the issues being discussed.

    'Don't destroy a model that works well'


    Pateley Bridge charity Nidderdale Plus works in partnership with Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council to provide services, such as a community library, a front desk for local council and police matters and a tourist information point.

    It receives three council grants worth a total of £21,000, which helps it employ 2.5 staff and manage 150 volunteers to provide the services.

    Chief executive Helen Flynn said:

    "We hope we don't have to destroy this community support model that has been working so well.
    "We are starting to build relationships with North Yorkshire County Council. I do feel they want to work with us. They have been good at talking to us so far.
    "I wouldn't say I was relaxed but I am engaged with developments."