Ending funding for Age UK day clubs has sparked controversy over whether it could have been avoided.
This follows York Council’s decision not to renew its contract with Age UK York for the day clubs after it expired in September.
YorkMix previously reported on the sudden closures of the day clubs in September, along with the upset the news caused the attendees and their families.
Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Nigel Ayre said that ending these clubs, along with other social care contracts, unnecessarily saved £110,000 more than planned in the council’s budget.
Labour council leader Claire Douglas argues that the authority was struggling to fund basic care services, while Age UK York had continued to offer some day club places since the contract expired.
The row comes as councillors are set to debate the decision at the authority’s full meeting today (21 November).
It follows a decision by the council’s Executive to put two contracts worth a combined £227,000 out to tender, to support early intervention and prevention in adult social care.
It also coincides with the launch of a new dementia service, backed by £140,000 in council funding, to support those with the condition and their families.
However, councillors who later examined the decision found that it was part of a wider plan to make over £450,000 in savings by 2026, through ending or reducing funding for care contracts.
Liberal Democrat councillors have said the savings amount to more than the £339,000 in cuts agreed when the council set its budget in February.
Speaking at a call-in meeting that examined October’s decision, Liberal Democrats Councillor Carol Runciman and Councillor Christian Vassie said alternative measures should have been outlined and considered.
Councillor Douglas said that budget cuts had been outlined publicly in October’s meeting and she did not recognize claims there had been an over-achievement of savings.
Councillors Katie Lomas and Lucy Steels-Walshaw, Labour executive members for finance and social care respectively, told the call-in meeting that they had had detailed discussions with council officers before making the decision.
They added that the savings came amid growing pressure on the social care system, which made it increasingly difficult to fund services the council is legally required to provide.
The executive members said this meant that council officers had to continuously find ways to ensure services were funded.
Councillor Ayre said those savings had been made by ending contracts that offered vital support to the elderly and others.
The Liberal Democrat opposition leader said: “While we never supported this, the executive achieved this saving early in the financial year.
“To axe further contracts was unnecessary and wrong. Those vulnerable residents deserved better than this short-notice, ill-thought-out, damaging, and unnecessary cut.”
Labour leader Ms. Douglas said that Age UK York had since approved four new day clubs, offering around two-thirds of the 172 places previously available.
She added that the council continued to jointly fund dementia day clubs, and local area coordinators could offer support for those looking for alternative social activities.
Councillor Douglas said: “The council has met its savings target on community contracts, as agreed in this year’s budget.
At a time when the council is struggling to fund even statutory adult social care services, Liberal Democrats in opposition continue to advocate spending money the council simply doesn’t have.
This partly explains the financial mess we inherited from a party that proposed a budget funding permanent services with one-year funding. Their whole approach is a recipe for disaster.”
A motion tabled by Liberal Democrat Councillor Ashley Mason for Thursday’s full council meeting claims that funding for Age UK York day clubs could have been spared from the wider savings.
The motion also notes that the end of funding comes at a time when charities and other organisations are facing hikes to employer National Insurance contributions, and calls for them to be exempt.