Cuts bite smaller organisations harder

Dan Parton says the news this week that learning disability advocacy organisation People First Lambeth is closing isindicative of a worrying trend among service providers: People First Lambeth had closure forced upon it when Lambeth Council decided not to renew any of its contracts with them when they expire in April – worth about £115,000 per year and 90% of its income. No organisation can cope with such a loss of income, so closure was inevitable. Lambeth Council says that People First Lambeth’s service users will be signposted to other supportproviders in the area. People First Lambeth is not the