Shropshire day centres opening cut fear
Saturday 11th September 2010, 11:27AM BST.
Three Shropshire day centres for the elderly face closure on Saturdays and bank holidays under cash-saving plans being put to Shirehall leaders next week.
The centres are Bradbury in Whitchurch, The Meres at Ellesmere and Helena Lane in Ludlow.
The move would save Shropshire Council £88,000 a year, figures reveal.
A report to cabinet on Wednesday says the centres could be offered to voluntary groups for weekend opening. It admits there might be a direct effect on service users.
However take-up on Saturdays and bank holidays is lower than on weekdays.
Community services, under which the centres are run, face a £5.3 million hit as the council looks to find initial £9 million savings.
It is proposed to make savings of £200,000 by “reproviding” day services for people with physical disabilities at “better and alternative” venues.
The plan mainly involves service users at The Grange in Shrewsbury.
The report says all those currently using the centre are having their annual review and being offered a personal budget and support plan. As people take up “other opportunities”, the numbers using The Grange are reducing.
A further £105,000 will be saved by merging the Coton Hill Day Centre in Shrewsbury with other ALD (Adults with Learning Difficulties) centres in the town.
The report says the majority of people who use the Coton Hill facility are in residential care. The alternative centres will offer them a “better range of opportunities in better surroundings”.
Stephen Chandler, assistant director adult social care services, said: “The council will be holding a series of public meetings next week to discuss all its proposals.”
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its all lies all us service users have told our social worrkers that we still want to attend the grange day centre …….
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