Dumbarton service 'under threat' amid proposed budget cuts

Ben View, a charity in Dumbarton which has been running for over three decades, claims their funding could be cut up by to £62,000 by the West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership (WDHSCP) at their board meeting on Thursday, March 28.

The group says this funding helps run its lunch club and bathing service.

The proposed cuts could mean both of these services would possibly be unable to continue. 

The charity is calling on WDHSCP to "reverse" this decision.

Ben View announced the proposed reduction in funding on Saturday on social media.

A post on their Facebook read "All at Ben View are absolutely devastated and shocked to have received an email on Thursday 21st March from West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership (WDHSCP) advising that Ben View is being discussed at their board meeting next week (Thursday, March 28) with a proposal being made that our funding is reduced by £62000.

"This is the funding that lets us provide our lunch club and bathing service and would mean a direct cut in both of these services.

"This decision must be reversed and care services to the older and vulnerable people in our community must be protected!

"As you will know Ben View is a nonprofit making registered charity. Given this, at this point, we are not confident that Ben View would survive this cut in any shape or form and the centre and all other services and activities we provide are at risk.

"Again, the proposed cut will take away a valuable resource in the centre itself, which has been established for close to 30 years and is open to all within our community.

"This puts at risk our youth programme, children's fund grants, befriending service, low-cost room let and office space that we provide to local community/voluntary groups and organisations.

"There would also be the loss of all our community initiatives, Warm & Toasty free breakfast club, our budget cooking classes, afternoon teas, and the proposed Ben View Community Garden that is currently underway.

"Ben View also has 12 paid posts all now under threat. Our community is suffering and we can’t afford to lose any more of our lifeline services.

"There are three things you can do to help; these are all a matter of urgency as the meeting for the proposed cuts to be discussed will be held on Thursday, March 28 at 2pm."

Ben View is encouraging anyone interested to sign their petition against the cuts.

A protest against the funding reduction is set to take place on Thursday, March 28, outside West Dunbartonshire Council offices on Church Street between 1.15pm and 4pm.