Cornwall cuts may face legal challenge

Campaigners are planning to take Cornwall Council to judicial review after its cabinet waived through a range of cuts to adult social care services.

East Cornwall Mencap chair Reg Broad said it was looking for people with learning difficulties or their parents to mount a judicial review after the council cabinet backed the measures, designed to combat a £3.6m adult social care deficit, last week.

The cuts include removing day care from people with learning difficulties who are funded for residential care, introducing a £1.50 charge for transport to day centres and removing services from people with low-level needs.

Broad claimed the transport charge violated the Department of Health’s 2003 Fairer Charging guidance for non-residential social services, which local authorities must implement.

The council’s executive member for adult social care Nigel Walker said he recognised that the measures had caused concern but they were unavoidable.