PENSIONERS could be charged to go to day centres and people with learning disabilities billed for transport under council cost cutting plans.Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council has put forward four options to try and plug a £450,000 budget black hole. It could also cut care home places.
It says there are “inequalities” as some people get services free and charging for them would address this.
The move, which would be consulted on, comes after the council was slammed by inspectors as one of the worst in the country for social services.
Options are:
• Charging for day care for all adult social services users, mooted at £11 a day. Saving - £200,000.
• Charging people with learning and physical disabilities for transport to day care, suggested at £3 a day. Saving - £53,000 to £104,000.
• Stop payments to some people with learning disabilities for attending day care. “No other client group” gets this, SMBC says. Saving - £11,000.
• Give carers a maximum one off payment of £400 instead of weekly payments. Saving - £120,000.
A council report says: “The existing charging regime treats some groups of people less favourably than others and these inequalities need to be addressed.”
Putting all four options into place would save £435,000.
Another report warned of a “growing funding gap” in social services because residents are living longer, showing more complex learning disability needs and have an “increased public expectations of services”.
It warned of a “significant overspend” this year. Bosses are reviewing residential and home-based services and cutting “high cost” care.
But these will not save enough cash, officers warn.
Meanwhile, it is poised to review 14 learning disability places at Coombes House in Yardley Wood Road.
The NHS has already agreed to close one home and change another to supported living only.
The council says a higher than average number of adults with learning disabilities go into homes, 67 per cent compared to 43 per cent nationwide.
This was because of a “lack of community based alternative services” which are now being developed it adds.
And the council wants to review 28 places at Sunhaven older people’s home, in High Street, Solihull Lodge. This includes seven older people with a learning disability.
It said putting people into homes broke up friendships, was not “person centred” and do not meet complex needs enough.
The issues will be discussed at the council’s offices in Solihull town centre at 6pm tomorrow at a meeting of the cabinet portfolio holder for healthier communities.
The public are welcome to attend, click here for more details.
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