Decisions paused as campaigners accuse council of 'sloppy, cruel, pre-determined mess'
Proposed cuts were today paused after campaigners - on a number of different issues - raised concerns
Last updated 13th Jun 2023
Campaigners today called for of controversial plans to close the North Devon Link Service Drop-in centres in Barnstaple, Bideford and Ilfracombe to be re-thought.
The county council is looking at the idea to save money - saying 'targeted investment in the voluntary and community sector may be considered to support the development of alternative services if not readily accessible'.
One campaigner - brought to tears while asking a committee to keep the support network - was applauded after bursting into tears as she described the positive impact of the services.
Another called the decision - and process being followed - a 'sloppy, cruel, pre-determined mess' and cited a 4,000-strong petition to save the Link centres.
The report says the council will 'cease the current outreach support to those people in receipt of Care Act eligible services, including assessments, and instead provide the support in different ways to be agreed with current service users'.
A final decision is expected later this year.
A councillor revealed they were still waiting to read responses for another issue ,cuts to an over 18s homeless service to save around ÂŁ1.5 million.
It was also revealed the work will start looking at the future of Teignmouth Hospital - on the day Teignbridge Council agreed to allow a new GP health centre to be built.
Campaigners were told by the NHS that it was not an 'either or' decision now - and uses for the hospital site (including remaining as a hospital) could still be identified
The Brunswick Street application was approved unanimously this morning and the full meeting can be heard here
Councillor James McInnes, the County Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for adult social care, said: “I would personally like to thank everyone who has responded to our consultations. No decisions have been made and won’t be until we have fully analysed all the feedback.
“These are challenging times, and I do not for one moment underestimate the impact of these proposals.
“I said at the very start of these consultations that these are the difficult decisions a council has to make. We have a duty to deliver the best value out of every pound we spend; to make sure services are as effective as possible; and that they are services people want to use. Never has that been more important than now, amid rising costs and increasing demand for our adult social care services.
“And having put forward these proposals, it is only right now that we take this time to fully consider all the responses we’ve received before reaching our decisions at our Cabinet meeting in July.”
For more about today's Devon County Council health scrutiny meeting click here.