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Last Updated: Wednesday, 7 January, 2004, 12:17 GMT
Budget cuts hit good causes
Voluntary groups could see their funding severely cut under spending plans to go before Leicester City Council.

Age Concern, Leicester Rape Crisis, and advice line Hitslink are among those facing cuts of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Under the draft budget proposals, council tax rates in the city could also increase by up to 14%.

The council is facing a budget shortfall of �10m.

Cabinet approval

The council leader Roger Blackmore says the administration has inherited a "gaping hole" and difficult decisions have had to be made to cover it.

Under the proposals, the Belgrave Baheno community project could face cuts of almost �400,000.

Leicester Rape Crisis could lose �116,000 and Mosaic, the action group for people with disabilities, would have funding reduced by over �30,000 over the next three financial years.

The measures, which amount to a reduction of �2m of funding to the voluntary sector, are designed to cover a budget shortfall of �10m.

The budget proposals will go the cabinet for approval on 16 February.


SEE ALSO:
Advice centre fears cuts
13 Nov 03  |  Leicestershire
Council faces cash crisis
22 Sep 03  |  Leicestershire


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