Close to £1m could be slashed from spending on centre for people with severe health and mental problems

The Unicorn Centre in Amblecote provides day care for people with complex health problems and learning disabilities.

Dudley Council is grappling with a multi-million pound black hole in its finances and proposed savings for the next financial year include a cut of £460,000 to spending on the centre and saving a similar amount again the following year.

Conservative councillor Matt Rogers, cabinet member for adult social care, said: “The savings proposed for the Unicorn Centre form part of the council’s wider budget proposals, and these have yet to be ratified at full council.

“The proposal is to offer people alternative ways of receiving support, based on service-users’ individual needs.

“Should these savings be approved we will work with every individual and their families and/or carers to agree a personalised support plan based on their identified needs and the outcomes they would like to achieve.”

While consultation is still in an early stage, Cllr Rogers would not rule out closure of the centre but insisted services could be provided elsewhere.

He added: “We are confident the individual needs of service-users can be appropriately met through the existing range of services including Adults Social Care’s in-house services, commissioned services and non-commissioned community-based services.”

The council’s Labour opposition group’s deputy leader, Cllr Judy Foster, said: “We will be concerned about any closures but we need to see the detail. We recognise the financial situation the council is in.

“We are asking questions about the impact and will be asking for the views of those who use the services.”

The plans will be discussed at the council’s cabinet meeting on Thursday January 11.