Bracknell's community support organisation has 'a lot of hard work' ahead, says CEO

Alexandra Gregg • Published 13 Feb 2013 19:30 2 Comments

THE chief executive of Bracknell Forest Voluntary Action has said the organisation could see up to three quarters of its jobs axed - even it does receives a £60,000 bailout grant from council bosses.

Martin Gilman spoke to the News this afternoon (Wednesday), after Bracknell Forest Council's executive committee decided to delay approval on extra funding that the organisation had requested.

BFVA already receives a £141,000 annual grant from the council, but since losing its Carers' Support Service and Domestic Support Service contracts with the council last September, has struggled to balance its books.

The £60,000 funding gap is also a result of the organisation losing its central government funding last year, which was about £20,000 a year.

"It's almost a perfect storm," said Mr Gilman. "We're hoping they [the council] will give the go ahead on the money, but even on that we will lose posts here. It's still going to be tight - £60,000 is the minimum we need."

He said a loss of income and more overheads mean that come April, there could be just three staff members in the office at Amber House, Market Street, Bracknell - down from the 14 employees at present.

Without the £60,000 BFVA will close down entirely on March 31.

He added: "We've known for months we've got problems but there are people's jobs on the line here. We want to work with the council and find a way to change our business model so we can get more income."

According to borough finance chief Cllr Alan Ward, who spoke at the meeting earlier today, the council is not convinced that the BFVA operation is being sustainably-run and it is not necessarily delivering in the way councillors would like it to.

He added discussions with BFVA have gone well, but that they "weren't satisfactory to draw the decision to a conclusion" there and then.

Speaking after the meeting, council leader Paul Bettison said delaying the approval of the grant would give BFVA more time to discuss the conditions of the funding - which would require it to work closely with the council in 2013/14 to become more sustainable.

He added: "There's nothing terribly difficult there so I'm hoping they will agree to the conditions so that we can, in turn, agree to the additional money next week."

A report by council chief executive Tim Wheadon said a one-off £60,000 grant could be met from the council's transformation reserves.

A decision on the cash boost will be made by the full council on Wednesday, February 27.

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This article appeared in Bracknell News 13 Feb 13

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• 

  Bracknellite
  6 posts
  Feb 14, 16:17
  Report comment

  BFVA has lost a lot of respect (and contracts) in the last few years so it is no suprise that BFC want it to prove that it can be run more sustainably. Perhaps it is time that it realised that any organisation that needs another £60k on top of its grant needs to look inwards and make savings in the same way that we all do. One start would be to look at the top management (does an organisation of only 14 employees warrant a CEO or is this just a vanity job title).
  
  Time to wake up and smell the coffee!
  
  Recommend?   Yes 25     No 11

• 

  Paulmelnjake
  2 posts
  Feb 15, 20:20
  Report comment

  BFVA does a lot of amazing work to support local community groups and some of the most vulnerable people in Bracknell. This work goes mostly undetected because the people it supports often have the quietest voice. I think there would be a great hole without BFVA.
  
  This gap will largely noticed if BFVA goes. Like the saying, don't know what you've got til its gone!
  
  Recommend?   Yes 6     No 21

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