Learning disability carers first to rebel against Bexley Council budget cuts

PARENTS and carers of adults with learning disabilities have discovered Bexley Council plans to cut the amount of time their relatives can spend at the borough’s day centres.

At a packed protest meeting on Monday, they claimed they had been stonewalled by councillors and by the cabinet member in charge of adult social care, Councillor David Hurt, who have all denied any knowledge of the decision.

Now they say they are in a race against time to change councillors’ minds before the package of budget cuts is confirmed at the council’s cabinet meeting on Monday night (February 28).

All those who use the day centres are now being reassessed to decide their entitlement.

But at Monday’s meeting John Stanton, who chairs the Friends of Carlton Centre, one of the borough’s three day centres, claimed parents and carers had been assured by the council the reassessments would only apply to new users of the day centres.

Instead many of their relatives with learning disabilities are being told their attendance is being cut.

Mr Stanton said his son currently attends the Carlton Centre in Sidcup three-and-a-half days a week and after the assessment may not be allowed to attend anymore.

Mr Stanton said: “If that is so, my son will be distraught and my life will be murder.”

He added: “We cannot tolerate it. We have got to stand together and fight it.”

The carers also fear it could be the forerunner to closing one of the centres, as fewer people were able to use them.

They hope to meet Cllr Hurt before Monday’s cabinet meeting, where they plan to protest.

A spokesman for Bexley Council said: "We have discussed the changes we are making in detail with the learning disabilities partnership group, which includes representatives of service users, their parents and carers.

"We want to work with everyone affected by the changes and Cllr Hurt has already arranged to meet with around 20 parents and carers later this week, to listen and respond to their concerns."

He added: "We explained last autumn that work is underway to assess service users' needs and aspirations using Mencap's national assessment tool (see bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=10490).

"Our aim is to ensure fairness, by providing services to adults with learning disabilities that meet their needs and those of their carers."

He said: "The assessment panels are made up of professional care staff and at least one team manager.

"Because private and personal issues are discussed, it would not be appropriate to open these meetings to others and we are not aware of any other areas where this happens.

"We are sensitive to the needs of individual service users, their parents and carers and it is important to us that they received the care and support they need.

"At the same time, in a time of great pressure on public spending, we have to look at ways to get the best possible value from every penny we spend, to ensure that we can give priority to those in the greatest need."

Will chief executive take a cut in his £200,000 pay packet?

AS Bexley Council battles to cut nearly £19m from its budget for the coming year and council workers face redundancy, its chief executive has refused to say whether he will take a pay cut.

Will Tuckley earns more than £200,000 a year as Bexley’s top officer.

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles has called on town hall bosses who earn above £200,000 a year to take a voluntary pay cut of 10 per cent.

But when News Shopper asked if Mr Tuckley would be reducing his salary in line with Mr Pickles’ request, Mr Tuckley sidestepped the question.

In a statement he spoke about the cuts, the loss of 18 jobs, including six directors and said Bexley would have to do more for less.

He added: “Like very many other people, council employees have seen a fall in their living standards.

“We have frozen the salaries of all our senior managers, we are negotiating reduced terms and conditions of service, our pension contributions are increasing and our pensions will be worth less as a result of planned tax changes.”

He said: “Being the chief executive of Bexley is the best and most fulfilling job I have had.

“I’m proud to have this position and will continue working as hard as I can for the benefit of Bexley and all who live here.”

Consultation puts adult social top and parking bottom of the wish list

A SNAPSHOT of how Bexley residents view the package of cuts being proposed, has been given to Bexley Council’s scrutiny committees.

The committees were asked to look at the proposed reductions and make comments or alternative proposals.

None of the committees has put forward any changes to the package due to be approved by the cabinet on Monday night (28).

So far, the vast majority of people who have taken part in the consultation say no changes in spending should be made to adult social care or child protection.

Among their other priorities for preserving the present level of service are rubbish collection and gritting.

There is some support for reducing financial support for the Freedom Pass which allows free travel in London for the elderly and disabled, as well as for libraries, youth services and children’s centres.

And services where the public says changes should be made include parking controls, air quality monitoring and the borough’s archive service.

But unhelpfully, for the vast majority of services, public opinion says spending should remain the same.