HULL – The Hull Labour Group has raised concerns over delays in funding decisions by the Hull and East Riding Combined Authority, warning that uncertainty could place voluntary sector jobs at risk.
Labour councillors say a number of employment support projects delivered by voluntary organisations in Hull are due to lose funding at the end of March. The schemes were previously administered by Hull City Council using grants from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Responsibility for replacement funding now sits with the Combined Authority.
According to the Hull Labour Group, organisations delivering these projects have not yet been informed whether funding will continue, leaving staff and service providers without clarity on their future.
Councillor Daren Hale, Leader of the Hull Labour Group and a member of the Combined Authority’s scrutiny committee, said the lack of timely decision-making could result in up to 50 people facing redundancy notices in the coming weeks.
He said that under previous arrangements, when funding was administered by Hull City Council, organisations would typically have known their position well in advance. He also raised concerns that delays were occurring at the same time as plans were discussed for the Combined Authority to recruit additional staff.
Councillor Shane McMurray, a Hull Central ward councillor and also a member of the scrutiny committee, said that if delays were linked to Combined Authority processes not yet being fully operational, interim measures could be taken to avoid job losses.
He suggested that the Hull and East Riding Combined Authority could temporarily use reserves to extend existing contracts, reducing uncertainty while longer-term funding decisions are finalised. He added that Hull City Council shared concerns about the situation and was supportive of urgent action being taken.
Both councillors said it would be damaging if organisations focused on helping people into work were themselves forced to cut jobs because of funding delays. They said clarity was needed as soon as possible so organisations and employees could plan ahead.
The issue was discussed at a recent meeting of the all-party scrutiny commission, which supported calls for decisions to be made urgently during February 2026.
The Hull and East Riding Combined Authority has not yet confirmed when final funding decisions will be announced.