Closure threat hangs over volunteer group

Dec 4 2008 by Shirley Bartynek, Hamilton Advertiser

A HAMILTON group who help kids and OAPs could be axed if a £11m programme of council cuts is agreed.

At the moment, South Lanarkshire Council allocate a grant of £72,000 to Burnbank Volunteer Resource Centre.

A proposal to slash their funding was included in a possible list of cuts to be discussed at an executive committee meeting yesterday (Wednesday).

Councillors, however, agreed to defer a decision on the cuts package until January.

Burnbank Volunteer Resource Centre, run by Hamilton Volunteer Group, have been providing community services for 33 years.

Between 400-500 people use the Argyle Drive facility which is run with the help of 38 volunteers.

If funding is withdrawn, four members of staff would lose their jobs.

Nine groups use the centre including Arts for Disabled, Stroke Club, the 50-Plus Club and the Visually Impaired Club.

President Gordon Young said this week: “We are much more than just a lunch club and if the funding was to be withdrawn it would be devastating for the group.

“There is no way we could raise that amount of funding on our own without the help of the council.

“The cash is crucial to the group, and the authority rely on our help too. “

Mr Young pointed out that the centre received a record number of referrals this year from the council’s social work department.

He said: “Even in this day and age there is a massive need for social day care services for the elderly in order to prevent social exclusion.

“If this is not available it leads to depression and ostracism from the community in which the elderly live.”

Council leader Eddie McAvoy said that, meantime, the proposals would be discussed by the political parties who make up the authority.

He explained: “Officers are saying we have invested millions to improve our own facilities in terms of building new residential accommodation, dementia units etc.

“They are saying that we have the capacity to bring people who use volunteer centres into our own facilities.

“But nothing has been decided and we will listen to local members and the views of all political parties on the council.”

Other big efficiency savings are being considered across a variety of council departments.

The closure of five community halls, including Birkenshaw in Larkhall, is proposed.

The authority are also looking at charging for the use of council services and increasing existing charges.

A 20p fee for entry to public toilets is tabled, generating an income of £55,000, and putting up the cost of car parking by 10p per stay from April, which is estimated to bring in an extra £76,000.