Shadow Secretary for Communities and Assembly Member for North Wales, Mark Isherwood, has called for the Welsh Government to invest in the Supporting People Programme and to protect the Homelessness Prevention grant.
Mr Isherwood, who in support of the ‘Let’s Keep on Supporting People’ campaign for 2017-18, visited a number of projects during the summer, spoke in the Assembly Chamber this week of how the programme, which helps more than 59,000 people each year to live independently, is saving lives and saving money.
For 2015/16, the Supporting People budget was cut by £10m and the programme is at risk from potential further cuts in the next Welsh Government budget.
Questioning the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, he said:
“Do you recognise that these projects save money for statutory services, and will you be making representations accordingly as we move towards the draft budget for next year?
“You’ll be aware, alongside that, there are two other correlating budgets, particularly the Homelessness Prevention budget, which was cut by 8 per cent in the current year. A coalition of providers - Shelter Cymru, Llamau, GISDA, Digartref Ynys Môn and Dewis - have made the point that reducing the budget that supports key preventative services, which are integral to the outcome and success of services and provision supported by the other budgets - cutting this is self-defeating.
“They’re calling on the Welsh Government to protect the Homelessness Prevention Grant, saying that it’s provided a platform for other sources of funds to be deployed into prevention work, that it saves money and that working with Supporting People ensures that as many people as possible are given support early on.”
Mr Isherwood also questioned the Cabinet secretary over cuts to the Housing Transition Fund, which supports people on the edge of society, reducing demand on accident and emergency, encouraging people into employment, helping people reunite with their children and much more.
He said: “ Cymorth Cymru have made the point that - falling to £3 million, I believe, this year, from £5 million last year - that is due to end at the end of this year. But if this could be incorporated into Supporting People, the £130 million, which would be the combined amount, would enable us even further to tackle and prevent and intervene and reduce the costs of the statutory sector as part of a tight budget settlement. How do you respond to that?
In his response the Cabinet Secretary said: “We cannot continue in the same guise. We’re in a very different space in terms of our financial settlement. We have to have bold, respectful conversations with organisations that deliver services on how they can deliver them better.”
Mr Isherwood added:
“It is regrettable that this Cabinet Secretary still doesn’t seem to get that this is precisely how to manage a tighter financial settlement, saving money through effective early intervention and prevention rather than merely mouthing empty rhetoric about it.”