Families who rely on a day centre to help care for their disabled children and teenagers have said they will be at “crisis point” if the service is cut as part of a council’s new budget plans. Across Wales finances for public services are under the microscope as council’s draw up new budgets in a desperate attempt to tackle tens of millions of pounds in shortfall.
In Newport council’s budget plans released last month the authority explained how it proposed to bridge a budget gap of £27.6m in part through higher council tax and fewer bin collections. But it also said cuts could be made to social care services. The plans are currently out for consultation.
The council specified the Oaklands residential short break home in Rogerstone among other services, proposing that cuts could be made to reduce the service from 21 families to 11, and from six sessions per child each month to four. WalesOnline understands Newport council has already begun consulting with 28 staff members at the day centre, which has a queue of families on a waiting list, over potential redundancies.
