You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Welsh Government ‘in listening mode’ on Supporting People
No final decision has yet been taken on Welsh Government plans to roll the Supporting People budget into other grant schemes, a senior official has insisted.
Appearing before the Welsh Assembly Public Accounts Committee yesterday, Tracey Burke, director general for education and public services at the Welsh Government, sought to ease concerns about the decision.
Draft budget documents published in October last year revealed that the Welsh Government would be merging its Supporting People programme with other poverty preventing schemes to form an “Early Intervention, Prevention and Support Grant”.
Welsh Assembly members approved final budget documents including the change to Supporting People last week.
READ MORE
Under the Supporting People Programme, local authorities are given cash to fund housing-related support services for people at risk of becoming homeless, as well as older and disabled people.
The Welsh Government’s decision to roll it in with other grant schemes came as a shock to some in the sector, with fears raised that it could lead to a reduction in money available for services.
But Ms Burke told the committee: “Ministers are absolutely clear they are in listening mode and no decision has been taken.”
From 2018/19, seven ‘pathfinder’ councils in Wales will be given full flexibility on how they allocate a range of grant schemes, including Supporting People, while the other 15 councils will be given additional flexibilities.
Ms Burke said this is “part of the decision-making process” and that the Welsh Government would work with stakeholders before making a final decision on whether to keep the combined grant in place after 2019/20.
And she maintained that councils’ delivery plans for the Early Intervention, Prevention and Support Grant would be held to account so there are no cuts on the ground to Supporting People.
However, she added that the Welsh Government believes creating a merged poverty prevention grant will “improve effectiveness and efficiency” of services.
The Welsh Government has pledged to protect levels of Supporting People grant at £125m over two years after striking a deal with Plaid Cymru in October last year.
