Charities helping the most vulnerable across Bath and North East Somerset say they are not being involved in plans to cut £800,000 of their funding — despite a promise that they would be.

Bath and North East Somerset Council’s proposals to cut £802,000 from the funding it gives to charities like Julian House, which has a shop in Midsomer Norton, and DHI were watered down in February after warnings that it would be “catastrophic” for the area’s most vulnerable.

The cut was instead spread over two years and the council promised charities it would carry out a review “with them” and not impose anything. But now charities have warned the council is not involving them in discussions and do not know what cuts they face.

Kate Morton, chair of the group 3SG, which represents charities and third sector groups in the area, told the council’s cabinet: “We had a commitment from cabinet that our concerns around the adult, children’s, and housing savings that were required would be discussed with us and with you in partnership having a collaborative scoping session and that we would work through some of these challenges with creative solutions.

“There was that commitment, however, that has not happened.”

Speaking at the council cabinet meeting on September 12, Ms Morton said 3SG was told the day before that a “scoping exercise” had been completed by council officers and a “case of change” drawn up. She said: “That is really disappointing because in this meeting (in February) we were promised we would be part of the solution around the case for change and would be working with the officers.”

She added that 3SG director Becky Brooks had had some meetings with a senior council officer but it was “too little, too late.”

When the council set its budget for the 2024/25 financial year in February, it changed the £802,000 cut to a £400,000 cut in the current financial year, and a £402,000 cut next year. But Ms Morton said charities still did not know where that cut was falling. She said: “We are over six months into the 2024/25 annual budget and we still do not know whether we have to make cuts.”

In a meeting of the council’s scrutiny panel on children, adults, health and wellbeing earlier on Monday, September 9, it was stated by a council officer that there would be no cut to charities in the current year, with the money to be found elsewhere. But charities have not had this confirmed to them by the council, the Local Democracy Reporting Service was told.

Alison Born, the council’s cabinet member for adult services, told Ms Morton: “We are committed to working with you and with other sector partners and we’re not planning any surprises so I’m really sorry it’s got to this stage where this is how you feel about the work we are doing.”

She said she and the council’s cabinet member for children’s services, Paul May, would be happy to meet with 3SG about their concerns.