Campaigners at UNISON rally urge Derbyshire council to abandon adult social care cutbacks

Campaigners joined a union-organised rally calling for financially-stretched Derbyshire council to abandon adult social care saving plans and proposed cutbacks including the possible closure of eight day centres and up to 11 care homes for the elderly.

The Derbyshire UNISON rally saw protesters meet at Rykneld Square, in Chesterfield town centre, on Thursday, October 17, in opposition to the Conservative-controlled council’s money-saving plans which could affect adult social care including the future of elderly day centres, care homes, and facilities for adults with learning disabilities.

A Derbyshire UNISON spokesperson said: “Derbyshire UNISON is organising this rally to demand that Derbyshire County Council abandon plans to make cuts to adult care that could see all the county’s council-run day centres for older people closed, up to eleven care homes sold and all but one of the facilities for adults with learning disabilities shut.

“Years of underfunding of councils and adult care by Central Government, as well as their own poor decisions, has plunged Derbyshire County Council, which once boasted about setting one of the lowest increases in council tax in the country, into financial crisis.”

UNISON pointed out the proposals follow the council’s Cabinet approval in April to close ten children’s centres with the ‘disestablishment’ of its Early Help Service and the introduction of a new Family Help service to achieve a £3.9m savings target.

But Cllr Julie Patten, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, has said Derbyshire continues to provide a countywide service to children and families when they need support and that will not change.

A council spokesperson said: “We are facing pressures like never before, demand for social care support and spiralling costs of private placements for children in our care, that we have no control over, is costing the council dearly.

“We need to be able to balance our books, and unfortunately we had to refocus the early help service. We have kept 12 children’s centres open, and are able to carry on delivering those services which we have to legally. We also found some extra funding so are able to deliver more services to more families who need them.”

The council has also explained it is addressing overall saving proposals to meet an estimated budget deficit of over £39m for the 2024/25 financial year after it stressed it has struggled with reduced Government funding, the impact from the Covid-19 pandemic, high inflation, rising costs, the cost of living crisis, and a growing demand on services.

Deputy Leader, Cllr Simon Spencer, who is the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Budget, has argued the council’s budget has been affected by an increasing demand for services, particularly in adult social care and children’s services and safeguarding, which he says is an on-going challenge that requires intervention from the new Labour Government.

The council’s latest proposals include possibly closing either nine or 11 of the council’s 16 elderly residential care homes to save over £5.2m as well as eight older people day centres to save £1.3m to help balance its budget with a new focus to be placed on services for people with dementia and their carers.

As part of one of the options under consideration, the 11 care homes earmarked for possible closure would include: Briar Close, Borrowash; Bennerley Fields, Ilkeston; Castle Court, Swadlincote; Florence Shipley, Heanor; The Grange, Eckington; Lacemaker Court, Long Eaton; The Leys, Ashbourne; New Bassett House, Shirebrook; Rowthorne, Swanwick; Thomas Colledge House, Bolsover; And Whitestones, at Chapel-en-le-Frith.

Under an alternative option, Florence Shipley and Lacemaker Court would be spared from closure, but nine care homes still earmarked for closure would include: Briar Close; Bennerley Fields; Castle Court; The Grange;The Leys; New Bassett House; Rowthorne; Thomas Colledge House; And Whitestones.

The eight day centres which face possible closures under both options include: Blackwell Day Centre, Blackwell; Eccles Fold Day Centre, Chapel-en-le-Frith; Fabrick Day Services, Hilton; Hasland Resource Centre, at Hasland, Chesterfield; Jubilee Centre, New Mills; Queens Court, Buxton; Shirebrook Resource Centre; And Valley View Day Centre, Bolsover.

Derbyshire County Council is also considering proposed options to redesign how it provides Day Opportunity centres and Short Break residential units for adults with learning disabilities and or autism.

UNISON has suggested the council should use its cash reserves to maintain existing adult care services but the council has explained that it has already earmarked some reserves to help maintain its overall, forecast multi-million pound budget deficit.

Council Leader, Cllr Barry Lewis, has said that what is being considered for the care homes and day centres are proposals only and no decisions will be made until the council has heard everyone’s views.

He added that like all councils nationwide Derbyshire is facing unprecedented financial pressures alongside an increasing demand for services, particularly for children and older people.

Cllr Lewis explained proposed changes also include creating specialist dementia residential care centres alongside day and night respite opportunities to give carers a break and that it is vital the council provides suitable, sustainable services.

Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Cllr Natalie Hoy, has also said the council is facing increasing financial pressures outside of its control alongside an increase in the demand for adult social care so the council has to consider how it can continue to deliver its required services.

Cllr Hoy added that more people wish to live independently for as long as possible which has led to a decline in demand for traditional residential care and there is a need for other more specialised care.

But UNISON has argued the latest proposed measures affecting day centres and care homes will not save money because it fears the private sector will not provide an alternative and if they do the union fears the council will have to pay more money to meet new costs to care for the elderly.

The UNISON spokesperson added: “As well as hurting some of the most vulnerable people in our society, including people who have already been uprooted from their care home due to previous council cuts, Derbyshire UNISON do not believe these measures will save money in the long term.

“Day centres for older people, for example, play a vital role in helping people live longer in their own homes. The private sector can’t or won’t provide an alternative, so either carers will need to give up work – which will hit the local economy – or else more elderly people will need to go into care, which costs far more money.

“By its own admission Derbyshire County Council has lost control of the cost of looked-after children, and the same may happen in adult care.

“Some of the care homes at risk are almost brand new. It is very easy to imagine them being bought by the private sector, redecorated, and then the council having to pay the private providers several times what they currently cost to look after the next generation of older people.”

UNISON, which represents full-time and part-time staff who provide public services in the public and private sectors, has welcomed support from a significant number of Labour MPs, including Chesterfield’s Toby Perkins, over shared concerns about the council’s adult social care plans.

However, during considerations, the council has already rejected a call from opposition Labour Group councillors to further investigate subsequent long-term care costs before deciding on the proposed closures.

Eight Derbyshire Labour MPs have also met with Cllr Lewis to express their concerns about the proposals to close care homes and elderly day centres and they have argued the facilities should be improved and retained.

Derbyshire UNISON is also urging people with objections to the council’s proposed saving plans to sign its organised petition.

A council spokesperson said: “We understand this is an unsettling time for people who use our day centres and residents of our care homes and their families, and we’d like to reassure them that no decisions have yet been taken.

“We’re currently looking at all the feedback we’ve received as part of the public consultation which will be fully taken into consideration in a further report which is due to be considered by our Cabinet in November.”