E-mail sent to Andrew Dismore MP from
the Clubhouse, Woodstock Avenue
Dear Andrew,
In response to our chat about the European Social
Fund:
My original enquiry about funding for the Clubhouse
was forwarded to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) by BVSC
(Barnet Voluntary Service Council).
I called and had a chat with Verity Bullough,
Executive Director of North London Learning and Skills Council,
who recommended us popping in to meet David Heart as she was to
busy to meet.
After four months I was given an appointment
and myself and Dov Rabinowitz went along and were told that we
would have to fill in a form to be on the list of organisations
who could then tender for funding by filling in another form.
Both forms we were shown were extremely long and complicated.
I was also told that the process took between 16 months and two
years depending on what time of year we handed in our application.
I then filled in a fast forward grant which
is a small grant and we easily fulfilled all the criteria. We
were turned down as being too large a charity.
I then invited Lorraine Harris the Head of the
European Unit at the Government Office for London. She popped
in to us and said she would do a list of things for us but didn't
do any. She also explained why we had just been turned down for
the fast forward grant as we were too big. The criteria did not
mention a lower priority towards organisations our size and I
checked by phone and they also confirmed there was no problem
with our size and we would have the same priority as smaller charities.
I asked her about this but to date have not received an answer.
I was taken back because we gave away a considerable amount of
time to filling in the forms and putting together the supporting
information when we didn't have a chance to get any grant, but
the priorities on which the decision makers worked, were neither
published nor passed on to the teams in Fast Forward Grants.
I then called up the DWP in Sheffield who said
all the priorities come from Europe and are out of their control.
I called Europe and got through to a Mr Paul
Vandermeeren (European Commission) DG Employment and Social Affairs
who promptly said his job was to tell the UK Government about
all priorities and requirements coming from the European Commission
and sent me back to the DWP who sent me back to the Government
Office for London who sent me back to the Learning and Skills
Council who four months later have not returned my call.
My feelings are:
— The EU relay on the UK to support
prospective recipients, recipients and general public with matters
related to the Social Fund.
— The DWP and local government offices
do not wish to monitor the distribution therefore take advantage
of a pound for pound method of distribution even though this inconveniences
or restricts distribution.
— The LSC (a main GOL distributor)
have a process which can take up to two years and although manageable
for larger charities is not accessible to smaller or more flexible
organisations.
— The LSC is not proactive nor is the
GOL for that matter.
— The fact in order to tender a one
year process is required just to get on the list of organisations
allowed to tender and involves lengthily forms including LSC,
GOL and EU priorities.
— As the money is coming from the EU
no one seems to want to be 100% accountable and answerable, nor
to take responsibility for supporting the UK's prospective recipients,
rather agencies generally try to do there bit with no overall
grasp.
I hope I was thorough enough? If not please
do not hesitate to contact me.
Y Dove Gerber
The Clubhouse
15 February 2003
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