Govanhill Law Centre Denied Funding by the Scottish Government
Community members have expressed concern following the Scottish government’s decision to refuse the Govanhill Law Centre’s application for funding.
Image: The High Court of Justiciary by Tony Webster
By Sam Doak
In early August, the Govanhill Law Centre announced that its application for a £75,000 grant from the Scottish government’s Equality and Human Rights Fund had been rejected. This news immediately raised concerns about the future of the centre, which has played an important role in supporting vulnerable individuals and communities in the Southside for years.
The Govanhill Law Centre was founded in 2008 and until this summer has relied upon funding from the Scottish government. The organisation provides a number of vital services which include the offering of free legal advice on issues relating to housing, social security, education and employment. While Govanhill Law Centre has made itself available to all members of the community, it has placed an emphasis on aiding members of minority communities and works with translators in order to make its services as accessible as possible for these groups.
Without funding from the Scottish government, the future of Govanhill Law Centre is now unclear. Following news of the government’s decision, Rachel Moon, a senior solicitor at the centre, publicly stated that the decision would result in a reduction of the services offered by the organisation at the very least, with its closure being a distinct possibility.
The decision to deny Govanhill Law Centre government backed funding has received a significant amount of attention from those involved in politics and the third sector locally. Castlemilk Law and Money Advice Centre, an organisation that provides similar community oriented services, released a letter expressing its support for the law centre and efforts to preserve its continued operation. In the Scottish Parliament, Paul Sweeney, a Labour MSP for the Glasgow region, tabled a motion calling on the body to recognise the importance of the centre’s role in the community and condemn the government’s decision to refuse it funding.