Shock at cash cut to Irish Welfare Centre

Mar 1 2007 By Neil Elkes, Birmingham Mail

A FREE advice centre which has served Birmingham's Irish community for 50 years is under threat after its £60,000 council grant was axed.

The Irish Welfare Centre, in Digbeth, is one of three charities to lose council cash following a "misunderstanding" over applications.

The Asian Welfare Centre, in Green Lane, Bordesley Green, and the Dyslexia Association could also be forced to cut vital services or sack staff after losing £25,000 and £17,000 in grants.

Now city cabinet bosses have been told to reconsider the move by a council watchdog committee.

Irishman Coun Mike Nangle (Lab, Hodge Hill), said: "The centre has been helping this community since 1957.

"They offer advice on housing, benefits and rights, help the homeless, trace missing persons and repatriate people to Ireland.

"They are open when council advice centres are closed.

"They also organise funerals. Last year they returned about 90 people to Ireland for burial."

The Asian Welfare Centre provides a similar service in Bordesley Green, according to Coun Shafique Shah.

"There is no neighbourhood office, so the welfare centre helped about 2,000 people in the last three months," he said.

"They will have no option but to close unless the grant is given.

"It is a false economy, as the council will be forced to help these people," added Coun Shah (Lab, Bordesley Green).

The local services scrutiny committee has now told the cabinet member for local services, Coun Jim Whorwood, to reconsider the case for the three organisations.

The chairman, Coun Timothy Huxtable (Con, Bournville), said: "The process changed this year and we believe there was a misunderstanding which led to these organisations being rejected."

Awards have been given to Birmingham Citizen's Advice Bureau, Birmingham Asian Resource Centre and Age Concern.