Tatton MP Esther McVey spoke yesterday about this proposed cut to front-line services; “I am extremely concerned the Labour-Independent coalition at Cheshire East Council are proposing to close the Stanley Centre in Knutsford.”
”The centre is a vital resource, providing day care facilities for older people and adults with special needs. It not only allows its clients to enjoy different activities and socialise with others, but it also helps support them with personal skills and independence, as well as offering much needed respite for their carers. Closing the centre will isolate vulnerable people and their families.”
“The council claims closing the centre will save £229,000 and it says it needs to make savings in order to balance its books.The maths does not add up to me, especially given the council received significantly more money from government than it had budgeted for.”
“In addition, it is increasing its revenue by raising council tax to the highest percentage increase allowed for the second year running. I have written to council bosses asking for clarification around the figures being used to justify the closure. I have made my views clear and so have the local Conservative councillors, Stewart Gardiner and Tony Dean, who I have been working with on this issue as we try to save the centre.”
“I know from speaking with families of users how much of a lifeline this centre is and what a difference it makes to the lives of the clients and their families. Both myself and Cllr Gardiner have been concerned over the council’s intentions regarding the centre long before its proposed closure came to light.”
“Our concerns began when the centre did not reopen immediately following the lifting of Covid restrictions. We raised the issue at the time with council officials but were told in no uncertain terms there were no plans to close the centre. Months later we find ourselves fighting to save this vital resource.”
Representatives of the local community attended the Full Budget Council Meeting on 22nd February and spoke eloquently against the proposal, and during the MTFS (Budget) debate, Cllr Janet Clowes (Conservative Group Leader & former Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care) stated;
“In 2020 you may recall that this council approved 3 projects that I brought forward as Budget Amendments.
The first was to re-develop the Bexton Court site to provide supported living accommodation with a new facility on the ground floor to replace the Stanley Centre. The business case was approved and was based on recouping the capital-build costs by the sale of the Stanley Centre site and Stanley House, together with calculated savings accrued by repatriating Cheshire East residents currently accessing care out of area (at high cost) and by mitigating the future costs of such care by being able to offer it within the borough. A similar project was identified for the re-development of the Mount View site in Congleton.
Despite escalating construction costs at the current time, escalating complex care costs suggest that there is still a strong commensurate business case to be made for re-exploring these amendments
EXCEPT
On investigation, I’ve now been told that the capital addendum (and all projects within it) was ‘wiped’ at some point in 2021. I am still waiting to hear exactly when and why we were not informed.
Unlike many aspirational capital projects for which monies are unlikely to become available, these were projects that had sound business cases and would ‘pay their own way’ within 5 years. With significant year-on-year savings to the adult Social Care budget.”
Council were told that this proposal will be consulted upon before implementation. Together with the proposed closure or Warwick Mews in Macclesfield (a short stay respite facility), the Conservative Group will continue to fight for the retention of these vital services through more innovative local solutions.
