being horrified that funding for some domestic violence services is being cut by 100%!

[gnomebabe]

Saw yesterday that funding for DV services in Devon is being totally slashed, so the women and children who benefit from them (and by benefit I include having their lives saved, childhoods put back on track, advice and support) will have no obvious place to go for help.

I work for a Women's Aid charity - Jewish Women's Aid - and know how much help we give to women and children, and how much would be lost if our funding was slashed. Support them on facebook apps.facebook.com/causes/posts/637075?m=

That's awful news. Does your charity rely on this funding?

I ask because if women's aid charities are not affected, only state services, perhaps it's Dave's Big Society again - getting people to do the state's jobs for free, yet again.

This really is disgusting. Once again, hitting the most vulnerable in society.

Not sure what help a Facebook campaign is, though....

our charity (Jewish Women's Aid) does rely on local authority funding for some of our services, but it looks like Devon Women's Aid will close down if they lose all their local authority funding. Looks like it might be under review. Not sure about facebook campaign either...

'It is divisive even within the Cabinet, and it is increasingly loathed by the public.'

• that's what the papers are saying about Dave's big society only today, so I think you're right - most vulnerable are hit again, at a point that they can't do anything because they're desperate.

This is a decision by Devon County Council NOT by the Govt. The Council is who you should be directing your rage at, not David Cameron. I am not his fan, but it seems unfair to blame him personally for everything.

Devon County Council spends a fortune on weird and wonderful environmental and sustainability policies - perhaps these could be slashed and DV funding continued - I know which would be my priority, and it wouldn't be the luxurious staff canteen at County Hall, the cricket pitches or bizarre climate change ecowarrior posts.

These kinds of decisions make me sick. Why does the conversation not go:
We have X amount of money.. Lets spend it on making sure people aren't hungry or being abused.
Now, what do we have left to make the gardens/ sports centre look pretty..?

ahhh I see someone comes up with the "but it's not the government it's the local council" - it's very handy isn't it giving a wad of cash to someone else (maybe a bit less than before), telling them they can spend it on what they like, with no proper direction, and then sitting back and saying "it's not our fault".

Not only does it create the "post code lottery" - but it also provides a scapegoat for the government to sit back and say "don't look at us - we only gave the money"...........