North East councillors join call to avoid cutting services for the vulnerable

Twenty-one councillors in the North East have signed a letter urging town halls in the region to avoid making disproportionate cuts to services supporting some of the most vulnerable people in their communities.

The letter - which has won cross-party support - warns that in the North East many homeless people, women fleeing domestic violence and pensioners could be forced to fend for themselves as some local authorities push through cuts of more than 50 per cent.

In the Spending Review, the Chancellor announced that money allocated nationally to Supporting People (SP) - which funds services for over a million vulnerable people - would be broadly maintained, with a 12 per cent real terms cut over four years.

However, the money is no longer ring fenced and has been rolled into the general grant from central government, with local authorities facing reductions in revenue funding of 28 per cent over the next four years.

The letter, written by the National Housing Federation (NHF) has been signed by 552 councillors across England and warns local authorities against making disproportionate cuts to the SP services. A total of 255 Labour, 145 Liberal Democrat and 65 Tory councillors signed the letter - along with 87 from smaller parties and independents.

There is no legal duty to support many of the groups traditionally funded by Supporting People - despite their vulnerability. These include some single homeless people, many older people and those with drug and alcohol addictions.

A recent survey by the NHF revealed 73 per cent of providers were expecting considerable cuts to services. In some circumstances whole services face closure as cash strapped town halls look to make massive savings over the next four years and are faced with difficult choices over spending priorities.

Hull council is cutting its funding to services by 53 per cent and Hartlepool is cutting its funding by 30 per cent.

Ministers have shown concern about cuts to Supporting People. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles suggested the Government could legislate to stop councils pushing through excessive cuts to voluntary groups.

The Federation said that investment in preventative support through housing associations leads to better outcomes for service-users, and savings to health and social services budgets, through the avoidance of hospital admissions, reduced costs of crime, lower demands on emergency services, and reduced numbers of children being taken into care.

Derek Long, National Housing Federation head of North said:

"Every local authority in North East is under enormous pressure to reduce spending - local areas have been handed a tough funding settlement but to implement cuts over and above the level passed on by central government is wrong and will simply end up hitting some of the most vulnerable in society.

"The fact that so many councillors from the North East across the political spectrum have signed this letter shows just how much concern there is over the future of local services for the vulnerable.

He continued: "No one wants to see the homeless, victims of domestic violence and the frail abandoned and forced to fend for themselves. But that's exactly what will happen in many parts of the North East where local authorities are pushing ahead with massive cuts to services which provide a lifeline to the vulnerable.

"Councils should make every conceivable effort to avoid making disproportionate cuts, and protect essential local services."