News

The home secretary has again stepped in to save a number of voluntary organisations from closure, it was announced this week.

For the second year running David Blunkett has provided £500,000 for councils for voluntary service and volunteer bureaux hit by local authority cuts.

Blunkett told the Voluntary Action conference in Sheffield last week that voluntary organisations were the "lifeblood" of communities.

"But it is not just down to government," he said. "Local authorities and agencies need to look at how to do more to fund small voluntary and community organisations."


The money will help groups until the Home Office's active community unit publishes its capacity review. This will set out plans for spending the money allocated in the Treasury cross-cutting review in July.

Kevin Curley, chief executive of the National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service, said the fund was "vital", adding that "shortsighted" councils often chose to protect front-line services instead of infrastructure bodies.