At last month's Council meeting Salford City Mayor Ian Stewart lamented that funding given by the Government towards the city's Salford Discretionary Support Scheme (SDSS), "hasn't in public been abolished but the £1.5million that it gives Salford to assist us with this been taken away..."
He then added "When I say that we will always seek to protect the most vulnerable, I've made it clear and open that if we seek to protect the most vulnerable that means that there are vulnerable people that we can no longer protect..."
Salford people might well be asking `Who are the most vulnerable?...Is it children living in poverty? Is it women fleeing domestic violence? Is homeless people in need of support?'
These are the very groups who rely on the SDSS safety net, an emergency crisis fund which assists with things like providing baby food or food parcels, essential items like cookers, fridges and beds, gas and electric supplies when there's no heating or hot water, and travel costs to attend job interviews.
Until 2013 these grants and loans were handed out by the Government's DWP but since then it's been Salford Council's responsibility to help `vulnerable people on low incomes'.
Now, as part of Salford Council's `Prioritising the Supporting People budget to meet the most vulnerable needs in Salford' it intends to slash £1.045million off that budget over the next two years, including £234,000 a year from the SDSS. Other local authorities, including Bolton Council have found the funding to keep this vital safety net intact.
A campaign has been launched to save the fund, backed by four organisations right on the front line of supporting vulnerable people Domestic Abuse Support Service (SIDASS), Salford Central Foodbank, Project 34 and Salford City UNISON with a public meeting to be held on 12th February at Swinton Royal British Legion.
"We work in close partnership with SDSS, assisting some very vulnerable people who are struggling with food poverty in Salford" says Mark Whittington, manager of Salford Central Food Bank "In 2014 we fed 3,500 people including 1,300 children. 32.8% of this figure were referred by SDSS and received additional support that may have not been available elsewhere. We are extremely concerned about the prospect of any reduction to the current support that is available through this highly valued organisation."
His points are underlined by SIDASS which states: "SDSS is an excellent service which provides a safety net for some of the most vulnerable members of our community who need assistance and support, often at a time of crisis. We are talking about the provision of basic items that most of us take for granted; beds, a cooker and clothing.
"Our Refuges in Salford receive no Council funding so many of the families we support are totally dependent on this fund for basic items such as food parcels" it adds "For some victims of domestic abuse, this could mean help for a family to travel to a refuge for a place of safety."
And Kevin Sears, of Project 34, explains... "After the option of community care grants were taken away the Salford Discretionary support scheme turned out to be a life saver. Without SDSS we would have extreme difficulty in finding suitable furniture for every client that is re-housed by Project 34.
"We are able to use community transport and local charities but they will not have the resources needed should SDSS be taken away" he adds "Once these cuts come into force we will forced to move clients into empty properties with no furniture and maybe setting some clients up to fail."
This week, Local Government Minister, Kris Hopkins, announced "We are providing a further £74million to upper-tier authorities to recognise that councils have asked for additional support, including to help them respond to local welfare needs and to improve social care provision..."
The Salford Star asked the Government's Department for Communities and Local Government whether the funding will go towards replacing/supporting the Discretionary Support Scheme and how much funding Salford City Council could expect to receive from the `additional support'.
Update: 4:45pm 6th February
The Department for Communities and Local Government has now responded to the Salford Star and stated that Salford Council will receive two portions of money for welfare support.
Salford will receive £1.065million in 2015/16 of the Government's £129.6million national pot. Of this money, Kris Hopkins wrote this week...
"The Department for Work and Pensions also carried out a review. The government concluded that local authorities would continue to be able to offer local welfare assistance from within existing budgets for 2015 to 2016, alongside a range of other services, if they judge it a priority in their area.
"To assist in identifying how much of their existing funding relates to this, an amount relating to local welfare provision was separately identified in each upper-tier authority's general grant. This totalled £130 million nationally and was distributed in line with local welfare provision funding in 2014 to 2015.
"The government has always been clear that councils should choose how best to support local welfare needs. Therefore this allocation will not be ring-fenced and we will not be placing any new duties, expectations or monitoring requirements on its use."
Salford Council will also receive £545,300 from the extra £74million announced in Parliament this week. Again, Kris Hopkins wrote...
"In response to representations during consultation, we have now decided to allocate an additional £74 million to upper tier authorities, to assist them in dealing with pressures on local welfare and health and social care. This will further help councils as they develop localised arrangements."
As the funding is not ringfenced, it is up to the Council and Mayor Ian Stewart to decide to use it to save the SDSS. It appears that the welfare ball is now in his court...
In the meantime, the campaign to save the Salford Discretionary Support Scheme (SDSS) launches next week.
Public Meeting
Save Salford Discretionary Support Scheme (SDSS)
Thursday 12th February 7pm
Swinton Royal British Legion
Cheetham Road, Swinton
M27 4UQ.
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