Day care centre in Cannock will be Closed

Chase Day Services in Cannock is to shut and move to a smaller building in the town.

Service users had battled to keep the centre in Longford Road open, protesting in the town centre with banners and placards just a few days ago.

The decision also comes following a public consultation that revealed 'people really did not want change'.

But Staffordshire County Council's cabinet has now agreed to shut the facility. Several people in the public gallery stormed out of the meeting yesterday. Eight other centres will be affected in Stafford, Lichfield, Codsall, Kidsgrove, two in Newcastle, and ones in Burton and Tamworth.

They will either close, move, downsize or be run by charities, community groups and even private companies. Also service users will also have to undergo a fresh assessment to see if they should be sent elsewhere.

Cannock East Labour Councillor Janos Toth today called the closure of Chase Day Services a 'disgrace'.

The decision is part of a massive overhaul of services for disabled adults but chiefs say it has nothing to do with the £109million budget cuts in the next five years.

Campaigner Dave Bailey, said: "It worries me that private firms could run these services and the highly skilled and qualified people there will be pushed out. Seventy per cent of service users are effectively going to be thrown out. Carers have too much to worry about already and now this."

But Councillor Alan White, cabinet member for care, said: "There needs to be changes." But he added: "Consultation showed people really did not want change."

Also during the meeting, councillors approved plans to make changes to the way schools are funded in 2014/15 and they agreed to review library provisions in Staffordshire with a view of modernising the service.