Bolton Council will be holding a series of drop-in sessions to ask residents for their views on proposed changes to the way it manages adult social care.
The council has put forward a number of proposals to reduce the amount of money it spends on adult social care, due to a reduction in the amount of government funding. The council must deliver efficiencies and savings of around 40% over the next four years, which equates to around £15m for 2011-12. As part of the measures to save £15m for 2011-12, each department has been set a savings target and Adult Services must save £6.3m.
As adult social care is the single largest controllable spend across Bolton Council and it is necessary to make savings in this area, in order to meet the council’s savings targets.
The council is looking at a range of proposals which aim to reduce demand for services or encourage people to use other types of services, as well as cutting costs of delivery. The council wants to ask people who use day care services how they want services to look in the future, with the aim being to close or replace existing services by March 2013. They also want to work with local community groups to continue to provide preventative services, such as befriending and lunch clubs. The council is also proposing that it looks for other providers to run the council’s Supported Housing Networks and Extra Care.
They will also be reviewing the eligibility criteria for social care with the aim of standardising assessment, in line with what is already done by 75% of councils across the UK.
All of these proposals are only suggestions at the moment and so the council wants to get feedback from those receiving social care, their carers and residents of Bolton as a whole.
Users of social care, their carers and anyone who is interested are invited to a number of drop in sessions which will take place across Bolton, where people can meet senior managers in the council’s adult social care team and find out more about the proposals. The sessions are as follows:
| Date |
Time |
Place |
| Thursday 26 Aug |
1pm - 3pm |
Thicketford Centre (for Carers only), Thicketford Road, Bolton, BL12 2LW |
| Thursday 26 Aug |
3pm - 6pm |
Lancaster Suite, Town Hall,
Bolton, BL1 1RU |
| Tuesday 31 Aug |
11am - 2pm
|
Horwich Resource Centre Hall,
Beaumont Road, Horwich, BL6 7BG |
| Tuesday 31 Aug |
9am - 12noon |
Farnworth Town Hall, Market Street,
Bolton, BL4 7PD |
| Tuesday 31 Aug |
6pm - 9pm |
Horwich Resource Centre Hall,
Beaumont Road, Horwich, BL6 7BG |
| Saturday 4 Sept |
11am - 2pm |
Lancaster Suite, Town Hall
Bolton, BL1 1RU |
| Tuesday 7 Sept |
6pm - 9pm |
Horwich Resource Centre Hall,
Beaumont Road, Horwich, BL6 7BG |
| Thursday 9 Sept |
3pm - 6pm |
Brookfield Suite, Masonic Hall,
Peel Street, Westhoughton, BL5 3SP |
The council has also put together a series of eight detailed consultation packs on eligibility; fairer charging; respite care; day services; supported housing; preventative services; home care and extra care.
Anyone interested can get hold of a pack by calling the consultation helpline on 01204 334059; emailing a request to socialcare.consultation@bolton.gov.uk or by visiting www.bolton.gov.uk/socialcare.
Councillor Elaine Sherrington, Executive Member for Adult and Community Services said: “We anticipate that the grants which we receive from the Government will significantly reduce and must deliver efficiencies and savings of around 40% over the next four years. Adult social care is the single largest controllable spend across Bolton Council and it is necessary to make savings in this area, in order to meet the council’s savings targets.
All these are currently proposals at this stage and we would like to hear the people of Bolton’s views on how this might affect them and those they care for, and what they think should happen. We would encourage them to get a consultation pack and return the questionnaire or to come along to the drop-in sessions and find out more.”