slowster wrote:"Birmingham City Council loves the CCCs", but most of the funding came from the DfT. What was done and is being done to convince and persuade the DfT to maintain funding? If it's the Conservative controlled central government that is paying, I can well imagine that 'Community Cycling Clubs' (especially in predominantly Labour controlled cities returning mostly Labour MPs) will have little appeal to them. Boris Johnson was closely identified with cycling in London, and gained publicity and political capital from it. Was any effort made to provide the relevant junior minister from the DfT with opportunities for positive publicity associated with the scheme, such as a favourable article in the national press with a photo opportunity for the minister?
I wonder if the above comment is overly cynical, all government departments will have multiple pressures and funding demands and we don't know where the money that was allocated might be going instead e.g. - better cycle lanes, more charging points for electric cars, better funded rural bus services.
I write this knowing nothing about CCCs but knowing that money for nature/conservation projects is always time-limited (and not just from government/councils but from agencies like lottery funds or big business) and though it can be disappointing to lose it usually the money is going to a different project which has been screaming for funds for the last however many years, the pie has to be shared out equitably.
