Gloucestershire considers cuts

Gloucestershire Council is consulting on cuts of £6.5
million to its social services budget.

The move follows a departmental overspend last year arising from
expensive placements and community care commitments.

Options for cuts from the £88 million budget include
closing a mental health centre and a family centre, and making
about 33 out of 150 disabled people redundant from the council’s
three sheltered workshops. A recruitment freeze will save
£626,000. Another proposal includes increasing home care
charges, and that users paying a £2 flat rate would have
income from disability living allowance and attendance allowance
taken into account when assessments are made.

Cuts will be discussed at the council’s social services
committee in June.