Budget cut threatens care service

The manager of Southwell Care Project says county council funding cuts may mean it has to reduce its services to vulnerable adults.

Nottinghamshire County Council agreed to proposals to reduce the project’s funding from £29,380 to £22,000 as part of sweeping cuts to grant aid across the voluntary sector.

The care project, based at Southwell Pod and Newark Pod, helps adults with learning disabilities by providing accommodation and community services.

Care project manager Mr Steve Shatwell said: “Clearly we are disappointed. We feel that we work so hard throughout the year to raise money and we do so with the constant goodwill of the community in Southwell and Newark.

“We feel it is unfair that the county sees fit to reduce funding to a very vulnerable group of adults, leaving us to rely even more on our own fundraising efforts.

“That in itself gets much more difficult because everybody is looking to do the same thing.

“It may well have an affect on what we can offer.

“We have a limited number of staff here — there is no slack to give up or easy costs to cut so unfortunately it may well have to affect frontline services, which the county did promise they would not cut.”

He said it was too early to know which specific areas could be hit.

The deputy leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Mr Martin Suthers, said the largest funding area was adult social care and health, and the council had worked hard to reduce the impact of the cuts on the most vulnerable.

He said: “We have targeted the funding towards the most vulnerable and those most in need such as people with physical and mental disabilities and people affected by domestic violence.

“We are keen to work with voluntary groups affected by a reduction in grants to ensure they make the most of their money and help them make the necessary savings while protecting their frontline service.”