Cashback plea

TO SAY I was disappointed to read about Chief Constable Stephen House’s plea (your report, 24 May) to have the Proceeds of Crime monies returned to the police for their use is putting it mildly.

The Cashback for Communities programme has been an unprecedented success and supports preventative and early intervention, youth work, sport and cultural activities for tens of thousands of young people in our most disadvantaged communities.

This programme is a lifeline for many local organisations and generates and supports a massive volunteer and sessional workforce which gives its time to help and nurture our young people. Cashback has been an inspired idea and is easily understood by communities where they see “bad money” being turned to good use locally. YouthLink Scotland administers one of the Cashback funds for the Scottish Government.

The Cashback for Communities Youth Work Fund alone has funded 1,264 groups which has supported over 300,000 young people in the past five years.

We hope the justice minister Kenny MacAskill continues to support and develop Cashback for many years to come and resists the overtures from other places.

Jim Sweeney

Chief executive officer

YouthLink Scotland

National Agency for Youth

Edinburgh