Over the next three years, East Sussex County Council (ESCC) plan to cut £40,000,000 from the Adult Social Care budget and £13,200,000 from the Children's Services budget. These cuts are likely to have a devastating impact on the most vulnerable people in the county. The cuts will be made to housing support programmes, voluntary and community projects and drug and alcohol dependency prevention services.The result of these cuts is that vulnerable people may become homeless or remain stuck in unsuitable care homes or hostels, more may be isolated, and more may be left unsupported if they become dependent on drugs and alcohol.
These cuts are not necessary.
The Government does not need to cut the council's overall budget. It has prioritised cutting inheritance tax and corporation tax while £Millions are lost through tax evasion every year. The government is choosing to benefit the rich and comfortable while cutting funding to vulnerable people.
ESCC must stand by their own stated priorities: to "keep vulnerable people safe". ESCC must call on the Government to reinstate the ESCC budget. Please sign our petition now!
If you live in East Sussex, please also complete the consultation directly before 18th December and attend the protest against the cuts on February 6th in Eastbourne (details TBC).
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More detail of the cuts the council plan to make:
Cutting half of the required budget of housing support programme, Housing Supporting People (£4.6m cut in 2016/17 with further cuts until 2019). This service currently supports people to live independently, including people aged over 65; with mental health problems; who have a learning disability or physical disability; who are blind, partially-sighted or hard of hearing; escaping domestic abuse; who are young mothers; who have drug or alcohol problems; who have recently come out of prison, or who are homeless.
Cutting more than three quarters of the required budgets currently going to voluntary and community projects (£1.6m cut in 2016/17). This will mean the loss of a range of educational, occupational, leisure and activity based support services which promote wellbeing and reduce social isolation.
Cutting £500,000 (in 2016/17) from drug and alcohol prevention services. This will be taken away from services providing treatment, recovery and specialist support for people affected by drug or alcohol misuse.
