With our partners in Forum Central and Third Sector Leeds we have been raising
serious concerns at senior levels for Third Sector resilience and sustainability
which will have a significant impact on our health and care sector partners.
Here is a formal statement from Third Sector Leeds (TSL). (Jo Volpe, CEO, LOPF.)

Following our productive round table discussion on 31 October 2022 (Cost of Living and Third Sector Resilience: Position Statement) organisations in the third sector – along with the public sector – continue to experience financial challenges and we know this continuing pressure and its impacts are recognised across the system.  As part of Team Leeds, and our shared commitment to working in a way that ultimately benefits people and communities in the city, we are seeking to reaffirm our joint approaches as the impact of the crisis deepens.

Third Sector Leeds (TSL) Leadership Group invites strategic partners to continue to work with us in finding flexible solutions within contracts as funding becomes scarcer. As the crisis develops, we recognise that there is even greater need to ensure that we have a coordinated approach and for commissioners to continue having open and honest communication with the sector. This may mean moving towards renegotiated contracts, looking at what can be achieved within the same and sometimes smaller envelope of funding as all our costs are rising.  In particular, recruiting and retaining high quality, values-based staff, and avoiding large numbers of vacancies, is key to supporting communities effectively and continues to be a priority for the sector, as it is across Leeds.

As TSL, we are looking to continue to work together with our statutory partners to use all available resources flexibly, to serve the city and our communities as effectively and innovatively as possible.

Third Sector Leeds