The Northern Ireland Executive has called for immediate adjustments to the Local Growth Fund to focus on essential services provided by the voluntary and community sector.

Ministers discussed the funding pressures facing the sector at a meeting on Thursday, 26 March. The reduced funding level is adding to fiscal challenges and endangering key services.

The Executive has raised these issues with the Prime Minister over recent months. It also contacted Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed to request urgent action on funding constraints.

The correspondence highlighted the severe impacts of current allocations on local communities. The Executive expressed disappointment at the lack of sufficient response so far.

Officials continue to work with voluntary and community organisations. They state that the Secretary of State can still allocate realistic resources to the fund to support these groups.