Funding for ‘by and for’ organisations

Zoë Garbett AM moved, and Hina Bokhari OBE AM seconded the following motion:

“This Assembly notes with appreciation the £3 million in funding secured by Southall Black Sisters (SBS) through work with Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).

Southhall Black Sisters lead the London Holistic Advocacy Wrap Around Services (LHAWAS), in in partnership with the Asian Women’s Resource Centre (AWRC), Ashiana Network, Solace Women’s Aid (SWA), and nia since 2019.

LHAWAS is a lifeline for some of London’s most vulnerable people – migrant women with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) who are facing domestic abuse, exploitation, and destitution. 

Over the years, it has supported more than 700 migrant victim-survivors with accommodation and subsistence, and thousands more through specialist casework, counselling, immigration advice, and training for professionals.

However, this Assembly also notes that last year MOPAC notified SBS that funding would end in September 2025 with any new funding only beginning in April 2026 in the new budget year, if awarded. 

This left a six-month cliff-edge for services provided by LHAWAS. 

Interim funding was ultimately found from a private donor but the risk to the women using these life-saving services was severe.

For services in any sector to be effective and viable in the long-term, funding frameworks must not allow for these gaps, which could cause vital services from small and grassroots organisations to be lost, and vulnerable people to be harmed. 

This Assembly acknowledges that it is not just provision of service that is affected by funding gaps, but highly skilled staff who are embedded in communities are at risk of being forced out of their sector by funding uncertainty that puts their jobs and therefore their own personal financial security at risk.

While GLA and MOPAC budgets are decided on an almost annual basis, services to improve the lives of Londoners - from VAWG survivors to programmes for young people - cannot be effective it they are essentially paused and then restarted. 

We the London Assembly call on the Mayor to remedy these shortfalls by:

• Acknowledging his duty to prevent future funding cliff edges by guaranteeing ring-fenced, long-term funding for a meaningful time period, for example five years, for ‘by and for’ organisations;
• Engaging in meaningful dialogue with ‘by and for’ organisations to ensure new funding strands support partnership working and reflect the needs of marginalised communities, with openness to reconsider funding criteria if required; and
• Establishing transparent monitoring and accountability mechanisms to ensure commitments are met.”

Following debate, and upon being put to a vote, the motion was agreed with 14 votes being cast in favour and 9 votes being cast against.