Care in the home could be axed

West Berkshire Council cuts aim to save money from its adult social care budget next year

THOSE receiving care in their own homes have been told by West Berkshire Council that it may axe the service if it is cheaper to provide the same care in residential homes.

The proposal is one of ten initiatives West Berkshire Council has drawn up to save money from its adult social care budget next year.

The council needs to save a total of £28m in the next fours years as the Government slashes central funding.

Last year, the council made £8m worth of savings and in 2012/13, £9m worth of cuts are proposed.

At a meeting at the council's offices in Market Street, Newbury, on Tuesday, Nigel Owen of the council's adult social care department, which offers support to the elderly, people with disabilities and vulnerable adults, informed adults with learning difficulties about the proposed cuts.

He said if the cost of caring for someone in their own home was significantly higher than the cost of caring for them in a residential home then the council would no longer support that person in their own home.

Mr Owen also outlined the council's plans to cut £85,000 from the voluntary and community sector and the scrapping of free hot meals for the district's most vulnerable residents to save £92,000.

The proposals were met with anger by a number of adults with learning difficulties who said the cuts would have a detrimental effect on their quality of life.

One service user, Lorraine Taylor, described the cuts as ‘wrong'.

The council was scheduled to host a similar meeting for carers and parents of adults with learning difficulties at the council chamber yesterday evening, and West Berkshire Independent Living Network is to hold a meeting at The Royal British Legion, Pelican Lane, Newbury, between 1-3pm tomorrow (6).

The council is also proposing cuts of £50,000 to children's services.

Dingley Family and Play Therapy Group based at Newbury Racecourse, which offers one-to-one care for children with special needs and disabilities looks set to lose £10,000 under council's plans – half of its total grant -and 15 per cent of its budget.

Dingley's chairman, Dave Ormrod, said: “I know that, across the board, public services are being cut, but I'm sure not many are asked to find cuts at this level.

“This seems a bit of a kick in the teeth, because we have been asking them to raise our funding level for some years.

“They know that a large part of our income comes from other sources, and with increased fundraising we will be able to stop some of the gap, but £10,000 is a lot of money and there will have to be service cuts.”

Mr Ormrod said with increased fundraising, Dingley would be able to find some of the money but warned there would have to be service cuts.

But Mr Ormrod remained defiant, saying he would fight the cuts: “The consultation is still in process and we will do everything we can to make them change their minds.”

One of the parents of 20 children who received one to one care Avril Mason, said: “[My daughter] is a lot more confident, and is speaking more since being at Dingley. If the funding is cut, it would have a serious effect on her.”

Another, Joanne Warner said: “We are simply devastated to hear this.”

Mr Ormond added the cuts couldn't come at a worse time, as Dingley is looking for new accommodation as a result of the new housing development at Newbury Racecourse.

He said that they are currently in negotiations to share a residence with a similar local service, but that it will cost more.

One group that will be affected by cuts to both adults and children's services is West Berkshire Mencap, which will see its overall funding from West Berkshire Council reduced by £64, 914.60 this year. The council said Mencap received £416,231 for children and adult services last year, a figure disputed by Mencap, which say it only received £359,000.

The consultation on cuts to both adult and children's services is due to end on January 20.