Birmingham’s four adult day centers face closure amid council financial woes

Four adult day care centers in Birmingham are facing closure amid the city council’s financial problems. Birmingham City Council, which has recently approved a wave of service cuts, has launched a public consultation on reducing the nine centers to five.

The centres, which support people with disabilities, provide a social environment and aim to increase independence and provide respite for carers. Amid significant financial challenges, the crisis-hit council wants to save almost £2m from the day centre’s budget this year by cutting staff vacancies.

For next year, the proposed savings target is £3.35m – achieved through asset sales and reduced running costs. According to a consultation document, the preferred option and proposal is to “streamline the service” by moving existing users and service staff from four day centers to the five that would remain.

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The council wants to move people from Beeches GOLDD to Great Barr, Fairway to Kings Norton, Harborne and Heartlands. The council insisted the reduction would improve the quality of facilities and services; offers a quality/price ratio; and deliver the proposed savings, but admitted it would cause disruption in the short term.

Other options considered in the consultation are to do nothing, refurbish the centers to current standards or close them all. If the preferred option goes ahead, the remaining five centers would be Alderman Bowen in Bordesley Green, Ebrook in Sutton Coldfield, Elwood in Erdington, Hockley Center and Moseley Centre.

The council said no decision had yet been made on the future of any of the nine day centres. Councilor Rob Pocock, cabinet member for health and social care, said: “We reviewed our day care services after the pandemic and it is clear that they were valued by citizens, carers and staff, but had declining attendance and needed to provide more flexible and responsive support for citizens.

“We also have a significant financial challenge, with adult social care needing to make savings of £65m over the next two years.” person-centred offering that reflects our key outcomes and principles for citizens, carers and family members.”

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“We remain committed to ensuring that no citizens lose their jobs or lose their jobs, but it may mean that support will be provided from a different centre.” The council will hold meetings for service users and carers in day care centers in the future. weeks.

The consultation closes on July 9 ahead of a report to the city council’s cabinet for recommendations and a decision in September. The council’s alarming financial situation is due to Birmingham-specific factors such as the equal pay fiasco and the disastrous implementation of a new IT and finance system, as well as increasing demand for services and funding cuts.

Council leader John Cotton has previously criticized the Conservative government and claimed councils across the country faced a perfect storm of smaller budgets and higher costs. Tory politicians pointed the finger at the Labor council’s administration, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arguing the authority had mismanaged its finances.

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