Statement

We are deeply concerned about Glasgow City Council’s decision not to fund Community Renewal’s Rom Romeha advice service as part of the Glasgow Communities Fund 2026–29. 

This decision will have an immediate and harmful impact on Roma families in Govanhill, many of whom rely on trusted, culturally competent support to navigate housing issues, employment, welfare, education and basic rights.

For more than a decade, the Rom Romeha service has played a critical role in supporting one of the city’s most marginalised communities. The removal of this support risks undoing years of progress in improving integration, preventing exploitation and addressing the significant inequalities that the Roma community continues to face.

We requested a deputation to the City Administration Committee to raise these concerns directly and ensure elected members were fully informed of the community-level consequences. The request was not made to appeal a funding decision, but to highlight the wider public impact of withdrawing this essential service. The refusal to hear the deputation leaves a serious gap in democratic accountability on an issue that affects thousands of residents.

We urge Glasgow City Council to set out how it intends to protect and support the Roma community in Govanhill in the absence of this service, and to explain what alternative provision, if any, will be put in place. The community deserves transparency, meaningful engagement and a commitment to ensuring that vulnerable residents are not left without vital support.

We remain committed to advocating for the rights and wellbeing of Roma people in Glasgow and will continue to seek routes to ensure their needs are properly understood and addressed.

04/12/2025