Jenny Young, MSP for Central Scotland and Lothians West, says the Scottish Government must stand by its guarantee that charities will not lose out on funding under proposed reforms.

Speaking in the Holyrood chamber, the Labour MSP said every charity she had visited across her region had raised concerns about ‘existential funding pressures’.

Young followed up by asking SNP Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform Ivan McKee whether he could guarantee that changes to local authorities would not make it harder for third sector organisations to access ‘vital funding’.

McKee replied ‘I can’, before adding that plans to reform local authorities should ensure decision-making on local charity support ‘happens closer to home not further away’.

Scottish Labour MSP Jenny Young said: “I have met with many charities across the region that are already facing increasing funding pressure and uncertainty about their futures, and that’s why so many call not only for an increase in funding but also for multi-year funding.

“A very valid concern is that if councils are absorbed into larger regional bodies then decision-making about funding might move further away from communities.

“I welcome the Minister’s guarantee about funding, but I am aware that we are a long way from these changes actually materialising, and if previous attempts by the SNP to reform services have taught us anything, it’s that you shouldn’t believe it until you see it.

“I will certainly keep on at the Scottish Government to make sure they keep their word about this.”