SCVO letter to Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Local Government

Wednesday 14 August 2024

Dear Ms Robison,

I am writing to you to express my concern about the emergency spending controls that you announced today, and to urge fair treatment of the voluntary sector. 

Of course, I recognise the significant financial pressures that the Scottish Government faces and the uncertainty resulting from the Chancellor’s statement. However, I ask you to consider the moment of vulnerability that our sector faces, and the indispensable nature of the services that it provides across Scotland. I am calling for fair treatment for our sector, in line with the Scottish Government’s stated objectives to deliver “Fairer Funding”.  While there is much still to do, it would be regrettable to see the progress that has been made to date being undone.

As you know, our sector is a key partner in the delivery of public services, with charities and community organisations delivering for people and communities across Scotland. This is a recognition of their unrivalled expertise, resourcefulness, and community reach. On top of delivering high quality public services, our sector takes pressure off ‘mainstream’ public services too, preventing higher levels of spend further down the line. In the context of the public service reform, that is a benefit Scotland can’t afford to lose.

The significant financial pressures and ever-increasing demand can be seen in the latest iteration of the Third Sector Tracker. In recent years, voluntary organisations in receipt of Scottish Government funding have contended with multiple in-year emergency budget processes, often at very-short notice. The implications faced by our sector are quite unlike those faced by mainstream public services. Indeed, for too many organisations the cumulative impact can be devastating, with some left with no other choice but to let valued staff go, reduce services or even close their doors altogether. As a valued partner in the delivery of public services, that can’t be right. Nor is it right for people working in the sector and the people they support.

I’m particularly concerned about voluntary organisations in receipt of Scottish Government grants who still have not had written confirmation of their funding for the current financial year, of which there are many. In good faith, they have continued to employ staff and do the work on the basis of conversations with officials, placing themselves at considerable risk in terms of financial, governance and staffing liabilities.

I have copied the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP.

Best wishes,

Anna Fowlie
Chief Executive,
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)