Mencap to deliver petition against cuts to council

West Berkshire Mencap staff are expected to arrive at West Berkshire Council Market Street offices this morning (Tues)

STAFF from the West Berkshire Mencap charity are to petition West Berkshire Council today (Tuesday) over proposed funding cuts to its children's services budget.

At 11am this morning, the fundraising and campaigning group which provides services to help those with a learning disability, their families and carers, will be joined by their service users to deliver a petition signed by more than 1,150 people to the council's offices in Market Street, Newbury.

They are petitioning against plans to almost halve West Berkshire Mencap's children's services budget, from £53,721.60 to £23,000 in the next financial year (2012-13).

Overall, the council has said it has funded West Berkshire Mencap's children and adult services £416,231.40 in 2011-12 which will be reduced by £64, 914.60 in 2012-13. However, these figures have been disputed by Mencap, who say it only received £359,000 from the council this year.

West Berkshire Council has said that the reason for the proposed spending cuts to Mencap, and other voluntary services in the district, is because it needs to save a total of £28m from all council services over the next fours years because the Government is cutting funding to local authorities.

For the next financial year, the council said it needs to save £9m with its adult social care department, which provides care for approximately 4,000 people in the district, proposing ten initiatives to save £1.8m.

One of the initiatives will see the department's £1m spending on services provided by voluntary organisations, such as West Berkshire Mencap, by ten per cent.

West Berkshire Mencap chief executive, Leila Ferguson, said: “The response to the petition has been absolutely phenomenal. It just shows how many people care. Parents say they won't be able to cope without us.”

Members of the public have until Friday, January 20, to give their opinions on the council's proposals.

For more details visit the ‘find a consultation' tab on the council's website at www.westberks.gov.uk