Closure of day care services confirmed

Cuts to day care services for elderly people in Ludlow and Shrewsbury have been "regretfully" agreed by Shropshire Council's cabinet as part of cost-saving plans.

The service at Helena Lane in Ludlow is to close, while care provided at Aquamira in Shrewsbury will move to another centre in the town, Abbots Wood.

Liberal Democrat councillor Ruth Houghton, who has responsibility for adult social care on the council, said: "This has been a difficult decision, and one that none of us wanted to make."

Campaigners against the ending of services at Helena Lane called the decision "devastating", pointing to what they said was a lack of alternative provision.

The council has been granted nearly £200m in emergency government support to stave off effective bankruptcy.

Part of the agreement for the funding means further reductions in non-statutory spending, and external scrutiny of how the authority is meeting its plans to balance the books.

Shropshire Council urged those affected by the decision to contact the adult social care department to "arrange for a Care Act assessment and/or carers' assessment" to assess what extra support could be provided.

Wednesday's cabinet meeting also approved the sale of the former St Andrew's building in Shifnal.

The council said an assessment found the building was in "such a poor condition" that sale and redevelopment represented the best value.

Cabinet member for finance Roger Evans said: "We can reduce ongoing costs and generate a capital receipt that helps support the council's financial recovery, while also creating an opportunity for the site to be redeveloped in the future."

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