Claims of financial abuse may close Communities First fund

Caused by the accusations of financial abuse at a publicly-funded community project, the Assembly Government’s flagship anti-poverty programme is in problems.
More than £241m has been spent on the programme’s projects in the most deprived areas of Wales, unfortunately there is much doubt about the effectiveness in combating poverty.

The results of an investigation performed by Assembly officials and the Wales Audit Office, will soon be presented to Mr Sargeant, the Social Justice Minister.

A leading committee member of one South Wales project said: “It would be grossly unfair for Carl Sargeant to punish all Communities First partnerships. A lot of good work is being done despite the criticisms in reports that have been published.”

According to the Assembly’s public accounts committee, good results aren’t achieved due to weaknesses in the Assembly’s construction and management of the programme.

Last October, Mrs Bostwick told BBC Wales that she was worried after she attended a staff meeting. She realized that it were the same residents connected to the project, she heard about people being paid cash.

Mrs Bostwick raised her worries with Plas Madoc’s trustees. Plac Madoc is a registered charity formed in 2003. She did it on advice of Communities First officials North Wales.
After a while the team didn’t use her services anymore.

At the moment it was known they would we vindicated, the claims were denied by the partnership’s managers.
The assembly Government said they are aware of issues in one particular Communities First Partnership.

Mr Sargeant will make a statement of the Assembly after he will have received a report of this.

In my view, they have to wait to take a conclusion until the final results of the investigations are known. The accusations are clear, but there has to be more certainty before important decisions concerning this case can be taken, I think.