Local authority to cut funding from disabled young people programme

Rochdale Borough Council said it is considering reducing funding for short breaks, which provides disabled children and young people with activities away from their family, by cutting the current budget of £369,100 to £319,100 in 2016/17.

It comes as the authority tries to save an estimated £37m between 2016 and 2018, with the council stating it has already reduced planned spending by £143m over the last five years. ??

“It is envisaged that there will be some changes to what is available in terms of short breaks, this will be as a result of consultation with parents, carers, children and young people – it will not be a reduction of overall short break capacity,” a consultation document on the proposals states.

“Whilst there is a proposed cut of £50,000 to the short breaks, it has been identified that this can be achieved without reducing the actual number of overall short break sessions on offer to children and young people.”?

?The authority also plans to reduce the amount it spends on its children's rights service, which is currently delivered by The Children’s Society. Some of the functions will be delivered instead through the council’s youth empowerment team, creating an ongoing saving of £30,000 from 2016/17.

?A further £30,000 in savings are proposed by reducing the voluntary sector grant funding for homelessness services to £273,420.

?Residents have until 8 January to give their views on the proposals before the council’s cabinet make a final savings decision on 28 January.?

Richard Farnell, leader of Rochdale Borough Council, said: “We have no option but to propose these savings as they are a direct consequence to the national government’s huge cuts in its support grant to Rochdale.

“All other public services are in the same position – we have significantly less money and at the same time we have an increased demand for our services."