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Rural drug funding cuts opposed by support group Rural drug funding cuts opposed by support group
(about 2 hours later)
Money to help drug users in parts of rural Wales is being cut by up to a third in a new Welsh government funding formula, a support charity has warned.Money to help drug users in parts of rural Wales is being cut by up to a third in a new Welsh government funding formula, a support charity has warned.
Kaleidoscope says reallocating funds to cities could lead to a hidden problem in rural areas.Kaleidoscope says reallocating funds to cities could lead to a hidden problem in rural areas.
The Welsh government said location was not a factor in its funding changes, which were "evidence based".The Welsh government said location was not a factor in its funding changes, which were "evidence based".
The substance misuse budget has risen overall by £400,000 but it will be shared differently across the country.The substance misuse budget has risen overall by £400,000 but it will be shared differently across the country.
Four of the seven area planning boards which commission the services will have their funding cut while the remaining three will have their budgets increased. Services are divided into seven areas in Wales, each with a planning board to commission services.
Four will have their funding cut while the remaining three will have their budgets increased:
Kaleidoscope, which provides support to people with drug and alcohol problems, says the changes in the way money is allocated in Wales could lead to a hidden drug problem without the services to deal with it.Kaleidoscope, which provides support to people with drug and alcohol problems, says the changes in the way money is allocated in Wales could lead to a hidden drug problem without the services to deal with it.
'Public scandal''Public scandal'
Chief executive Martin Blakebrough said: "I would say to the Welsh government that they have to take rural communities seriously and the way that this funding formula has been devised is a damning indictment of a government who doesn't care about the heart of its country."Chief executive Martin Blakebrough said: "I would say to the Welsh government that they have to take rural communities seriously and the way that this funding formula has been devised is a damning indictment of a government who doesn't care about the heart of its country."
He said that rural services are more expensive to run but money is being taken from those areas and given to cities.He said that rural services are more expensive to run but money is being taken from those areas and given to cities.
"They've decided to give 10% extra to the most expensive service in Wales - which is in Cardiff - and get that money from areas like Monmouthshire and Powys. "They've decided to give 10% extra to the most expensive service in Wales - which is in Cardiff - and get that money from areas like Monmouthshire (part of Gwent Area Planning Board) and Powys.
"That seems to me that people in rural areas are being ignored and I think it's a public scandal."That seems to me that people in rural areas are being ignored and I think it's a public scandal.
"Where is the equality?""Where is the equality?"
The four areas that will have a decrease in funding are Dyfed, Powys, Cwm Taf and Gwent. Melanie Perry, director of mid and west Wales alcohol and drugs advisory service Prism, said: "I know locally the area planning board has sought to protect frontline services for this year, so where we have seen cuts they have been small, but we don't know how that's going to pan out for 2014 onwards.
Three areas will see an increase - north Wales, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg, and Cardiff and Vale. "People in rural areas do have drug and alcohol problems and we see that moving down the M4 corridor and where people have those problems, they need to seek specialist help and support to address those issues."
Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams, the AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, said: "The problem is that in rural areas you can't just have one building to deliver a service from because the distance people have to travel is too great and public transport is often very poor or non-existent. Ifor Glyn, chief executive of Swansea-based drugs charity Sands Cymru, said any drug agency would say there were not enough resources.
"If you've got someone who's trying to deal with an addiction problem you need to make it easy for them to get help. "In Swansea, there is a need and enough people demanding the service," he said.
"If we don't have the resources to do that we'll see some people not being able to access services or simply choosing not to find that help because it will be too hard," she said. "But running services in rural areas come with additional problems - things like transport, having to maintain more than one office.
"We do need to look at the needs of both rural and making cuts anywhere is never going to be acceptable or palatable."
In a statement, the Welsh government said while it understands that substance misuse is not confined to urban areas, the new funding formula is "evidence based and takes rural areas into account through indicators on access to services locally" among other factors.In a statement, the Welsh government said while it understands that substance misuse is not confined to urban areas, the new funding formula is "evidence based and takes rural areas into account through indicators on access to services locally" among other factors.
"North Wales, which is largely rural, received a substantial increase in its share of the formula; emphasising that rurality was not a major factor in changes to the formula," said a spokesperson."North Wales, which is largely rural, received a substantial increase in its share of the formula; emphasising that rurality was not a major factor in changes to the formula," said a spokesperson.
"In addition, the Welsh government has increased the overall amount allocated to area planning boards by £400,000 to ensure that no area planning board received more than a 5% cut to their allocation.""In addition, the Welsh government has increased the overall amount allocated to area planning boards by £400,000 to ensure that no area planning board received more than a 5% cut to their allocation."