Town Hall chief hits back over cutbacks claims
8:54am Thursday 2nd September 2010 in News
TOWN Hall leader Cliff Morris has launched an attack on local unionists, claiming they are scaremongering and causing the most vulnerable people in the borough to worry.
He has hit back at “rumours” the council is to axe day care homes and extra-care services.
In a statement released just hours before unionists, staff and service users protested outside last night’s council meeting, Cllr Morris said: “We are very disappointed a number of false rumours have been circulating the council is planning to close day care homes, extra care services and various other adult social care services.
“We believe some of this information is coming from within Unison and there is a strategy to deliberately target the most vulnerable in society, the elderly and those who are disabled and spreading rumours among these groups and making them worry about the future.”
But union officials denied Cllr Morris’s accusations.
Martin Challender, communications officer of the Unison Bolton Metro branch, said: “Our members have been told day centres and homes are to close.
“It is in the consultation documents that are going out. I cannot stand the dishonesty we are seeing.
“The council needs to be more honest and if it has no plans to carry out these closures, then it should not be on the consultation documents.”
The council has denied it plans to close day care centres, axe extra care provision at four sheltered housing schemes across the borough and slash other provisions in adult care services.
The council must cut 40 per cent off its budget in the next four years.
Cllr Morris said: “We have not made any decision on closure of day care homes, or extra care homes or any other adult care services.
“Unfortunately we do have significantly less money and we must decide how to best allocate the funding we have left.”
