BOOST FOR CHARITY AND VOLUNTARY GROUPS AROUND GODALMING

Voluntary and charity groups throughout the Godalming area are set to be given a boost after local council officials opted to maintain its funding at the current level for the vital work of voluntary, despite Government cutbacks.

Overall funding from the council for organisations that provide key services such as day centres, youth activities and arts projects will remain at £744,530 in the coming financial year despite Waverley's funding from the government being cut by 14%.

The council Executive is proposing to maintain the overall community partnership budget, with the 2012/13 funding round seeing three new organisations set to benefit from grants for the first time. In the summer Waverley warned organisations that grants could have to be cut by 12 per cent. However, work throughout the year has meant the community partnership budget has been protected.

Cllr Mike Band, councillor responsible for finance at Waverley Borough Council, said: "Cuts to funding for voluntary, community and charity groups in Waverley could potentially have had a very damaging impact on many of our residents. It is a reality we had to face up to and is something the council has been working hard to avoid.

"To maintain the community grant funding pot at the same as last year is a remarkable achievement given the challenges Waverley faces. It demonstrates the high level of commitment the council has to the vital work of the borough's voluntary, community and charity groups."

Meanwhile, Cllr David Munro, councillor responsible for community services at Waverley Borough Council, added: "The voluntary and charitable organisations Waverley supports through its grants awards form the backbone of communities in Waverley. The council recognises the huge contribution they make to residents and the value for money the council gets from the grant money. This is why so much effort has been put in to sustaining the amounts of money we award."

Waverley's Executive will meet on Tuesday February 7 to make its recommendation that the Waverley community grant funding for 2012/13 be maintained at the same level as 2011/12.