Anti-cuts group say Shropshire’s front-line services are affected by cuts

The study has rated Shropshire Council 142 out of 152 local authorities in England and its ‘coping level’ is rated as ‘bad’ with its cuts level as ‘high’. Yet only five years ago, the council was rated as top-banded three star.

Commissioned by national disability charity Scope, the study entitled ‘Coping with the Cuts’ has collated data from local authorities in England and Wales. Using Freedom of Information requests completed by councils it has analysed how councils are managing budgetary changes and how this affects local disabled people.

In its report, Shropshire Council is criticised for:

‘increasing the cost of community meals services by 9 per cent and closed one day centre recently, with another closing soon. The council also deducts 25 per cent from the amount of a personal budget before giving the money to the disabled person’.

This cut of 25% is the highest in the range of cuts taken from personal budgets.

Shropshire Council also comes out badly in a case study contained in the report where two Shropshire service users are interviewed, both of whom who have been at the forefront of cuts and have been trying to cope with personal budget reductions or restrictions, increased user charges, restricted eligibility and service closure all at the same time. As one of these is quoted: ‘so much is happening so quickly, it’s hard to get a handle on.’

Jayne McDermott of Shropshire Fights Back says: ‘This is irrefutable proof of front-line services being cut and those who need services the most being the hardest hit. It also shows that Shropshire Council is making quick, ill-judged cuts to vital services without fully understanding the consequences. Shropshire Council’s constant claim that they are protecting those most vulnerable continues to ring hollow’.