GOVERNMENT spending cuts risk pulling apart the “fabric” of community groups, a North MP has warned.

Shadow Civil Society Minister Roberta Blackman-Woods said the speed of cuts meant voluntary and community groups had not been given enough time to develop new sources of funding or alternative ways of working.

In a new attack on the issue already raised by charitable leaders in the region, the MP claimed the impact on the North East called into question the Prime Minister’s dreams of a “Big Society”.

The Labour MP for City of Durham said the cuts were in fact weakening society.

Dr Blackman-Woods has issued the warning after looking into the state of the voluntary and charitable sector amid concerns from organisations about their ability to plan for the future.

She said the North East has had an excellent record in terms of the voluntary sector, but that many groups were now suffering from public sector cuts that were being “disproportionately” applied to the region.

The MP pointed to a survey by the Voluntary Organisations’ Network North East (VONNE), which has been looking at the health of the sector in the region for the past two years.

Its most recent findings showed that of the 141 organisations that responded, the majority have seen funding fall, while more than a third have made staff redundant.

But despite 69% seeing an increased demand, 64% expect to or are considering closing a service, with half looking at, or already reducing the number of people they support.