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06
Feb 2022
Will Harrogate district charities lose funding in council shake-up?
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:
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.
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
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:
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:
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