Families protest over axe threat to centre

Around 80 protestors gathered in Cannock town centre in a bid to stop Staffordshire County Council from overhauling services.

The local authority said the plans were part of measures designed to improve the quality of care.

Under the plans independent providers such as charities, community groups and private companies could be brought in to run services to save cash.

In Cannock, Chase Day Services in Longford Road could be affected.

A public consultation into the plans has already been carried out but a group of campaigners armed with banners decided to take their concerns to the streets of Cannock in a bid to drum up support.

Dave Bailey, of Old Fallow Road, Cannock, whose son Stuart, aged 46, uses the centre, said: "We had a very good turnout of people showing their support.

"Nobody wants to see these services go because it is completely unfair on those who rely on them.

"Stuart has been going there since he was 19-years-old.

"He has got a lot of friends there but if it closes down he will become completely isolated.

"The council has said that these centres are like prisons and they want to try and integrate the people who use them back into the community but they aren't like that at all.

"They are absolutely vital for all of us and the staff who work there are amazing, despite being faced with the prospect that they may lost their jobs.

"All the council cares about is cutting costs and I think it is a disgrace. If these centres close, they will completely devastate lives."

The county council's preferred option is to transfer services to independent providers such as charities, community groups and private companies for people with low or moderate learning disabilities.

Under this option, services for those with more complex needs would continue to be provided by the council due to a lack of independent providers able to cater for them.

Currently, none offers short term occasional support to those in 'temporary crisis' to prevent them needing long term intensive support. Further plans would be made to transfer all services in the future.

Mr Bailey added: "I fully expect the council to go ahead with it's decision but we are hoping that by staging the protest that we have at least been listened to."

Staffordshire County Council is expected to make a final decision on the proposals tomorrow.

A public consultation into the county council's proposals was launched in August. It finished last month.

Robbie Marshall, the council's cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said the consultation was very much about 'improving' the quality of support and the quality of lives for people.Cannock Chase MP Aidan Burley said: "It was clear from my recent visit to Chase Day Services that those service users with profound disabilities need a specialist centre locally and it is good news that the county council will continue to fund a day care centre for people with complex needs in Cannock.

"I will now be ensuring that no service users will be moved to the new facility until it is fully equipped and ready to take them."