Knutsford mayor Cllr Mike Houghton outside The Stanley Centre
Knutsford Town Council is calling for a rethink of plans to close a day care centre on Bexton Road.
Knutsford mayor Cllr Mike Houghton said proposals from Cheshire East Council to close The Stanley Centre were ill thought-out and described its services as vital for the town.
The plans were drawn up as part of the borough council’s draft budget, but they’ve drawn criticism from community leaders in Knutsford due to an ever-growing need for social care.
The Stanley Centre provides services for people with learning disabilities, people with physical disabilities and older people.
The centre would close under plans being put forward by Cheshire East Council, in a bid to save the authority an estimated £229,000.
But Knutsford Town Council has now written to bosses at Cheshire East Council requesting the planned closure is scrapped.
The town council has also requested a thorough consultation with local people if the borough council still wishes to press ahead with its plans.
A letter sent to Cheshire East Council stated: “Knutsford Town Council recognises the significant budgetary pressures which all local authorities are facing due to rising costs and, for unitary authorities, the significant expenditure required on social care.
“The town council therefore appreciates that challenging decisions must be made as to how spending is prioritised.
“However, the town council is alarmed to see proposals for the closure of the Stanley Centre in Knutsford being included within the 2023/24 budget consultation.
“The closure of the Stanley Centre was last proposed in 2011, at which time we undertook consultation with service users and the wider public.
“This consultation demonstrated the need for these services to be delivered locally and the great value placed on access to the facility by those who use it.”
Town mayor Cllr Mike Houghton is among those contesting the plans.
He said: “With the continually growing need for local social care provision, we are bemused by this ill thought out proposal to cut access to the vital services provided at the Stanley Centre.
“We are especially concerned that the proposal has been presented through a budget consultation as a cost saving measure rather than a properly formulated proposal that enables a detailed assessment of the impact of the closure of the building on the local community.”
Cheshire East Council responded by saying radical and difficult changes are required if it is to balance its books.
A spokesperson for the authority said: “All town and parish councils are consultees in the budget consultation – and we would like to thank Knutsford Town Council for participating in this important process.
“No decisions have been made yet on any budget saving proposals. All consultation responses will be published before consideration of the budget at a meeting of full council on 22nd February.
“We launched our budget consultation on proposals to balance the council’s budget for the next four years.
“This is particularly challenging this time, as Cheshire East Council needs to find additional income and savings of around £27m a year – while we continue to deliver essential but affordable services for residents, alongside delivering the council’s corporate plan.
“The consultation was launched against a background of rising inflation – including increased costs for fuel, energy and pay – and increasing demand for our services.
“We still have an in-year overspend on the budget and must continue to avoid non-essential spend for the rest of the financial year at least.
“In the consultation there are proposals for unavoidable investment, to reflect high inflation, and these need to be balanced by proposals affecting day-to-day services, including changes to some high-profile services.
“To help find vital savings, we have also asked every team, service and directorate to come together and find ways to help us meet the significant financial challenge that we have ahead of us.
“We will continue to scrutinise all spending and the way we deliver services to find further efficiencies – but more radical and difficult changes are required.”
