City farm and arts centre in Bristol set to lose council funding

Voluntary groups will learn on Monday whether they have gained or lost out in the annual scramble for funding from Bristol City Council.

The Kuumba Arts Centre, in St Paul's, and Windmill Hill City Farm, in Bedminster, are set to be among the main losers.

The Bread Youth Project, in St Paul's, will almost certainly be one of the major winners, with £50,000 allocated for the coming year.

The council's ruling Labour cabinet, which meets at 6pm on Monday, is likely to agree to share out a total of £2.4 million between 39 different groups.

Seven groups – including the Bread project, which helps make youngsters more employable – are being recommended for funding for the first time.

This group includes: the Somali Resource Centre (£24,500), in Barton Hill, which helps increase integration; the Upper Horfield Community Trust (£15,000); the Family Centre (Deaf Children) (£14,000), which is based in King Square, central Bristol; Freeways (£10,000), of Redland, which helps people with learning difficulties; Southmead Community Association (£15,000); and City Academy and Easton Community Centre (£51,875).

Five groups are set to have their applications turned down. They include Kuumba, which was said to be on the brink of closure when the Arts Council ended its funding last year.

In a report to Monday night's meeting, council officials will say Kuumba, based in Hepburn Street, "is no longer viable as an arts organisation and has very few activities for communities".

It says: "Although a symbolic organisation in the city, it has lost focus and its connections to local communities and would need to change focus and direction if it is to attract funding to rebuild the organisation."

No one from Kuumba was available for comment last night.

On Windmill Hill City Farm, the report says the organisation "generates most of its income from provision of services and other funders and is likely to be able to sustain its operation".

Other groups which will be disappointed are: British Francophone, which provides support to French- speaking African communities; Linksan, an advice centre for Somalis in Easton; and the Refugee Women of Bristol group, based in Barton Hill.

The council was unable to supply figures for the sums these groups applied for.