'Failure to face anger' Concern over day care closure plans.

Byline: Dave Black 

POLITICAL leaders of Northumberland's super council have been strongly criticised for failing to face up to public anger and concern over plans to close seven day care centres for elderly and disabled people.

Liberal Democrat executive member for adult care, Simon Reed, and council leader, Jeff Reid, were accused of shirking their responsibilities by not attending public meetings held earlier this week on the controversial cost-cutting proposals.

Members of the public and opposition councillors said it was wrong for them to leave unelected care officials to 'face the music' at the meetings, which are being held to discuss moves to close day centres in Amble, Bedlington, Blyth, Ponteland, Prudhoe, Hexham and Haltwhistle.

Last night Coun Reed said the Lib Dem leadership had now changed its mind about not attending the meetings - and he would be going to as many of the remaining ones as possible.

The seven meetings are a key part of the consultation process on the proposals to close the centres, which are used by 370 people a week and have been described as a lifeline service by vulnerable users and their relatives.

Care chiefs are proposing a new system that involves giving older people 'personal budgets' which they can spend on getting out of the house and taking part in social activities of their choice..

Yesterday county council Conservative and Independent group leader, Peter Jackson, said: "The administration has put forward fundamental proposals to change day care for elderly people, but they don't seem prepared to put their heads above the parapet and be accountable.

"Simon Reed is the executive member solely responsible for proposing these ideas, yet he was not prepared to attend the first two public meetings and get feedback. It is very unfair on senior officers to make them front up these political discussions." Self-employed contractor Kevin Little of Haltwhistle, who attended the first meeting in Prudhoe, said: "The council leadership and executive needs to get out of the bunker and face people at these meetings. It is disgraceful that they have left officers to face the music for a political budget decision." Coun Reed admitted the leadership had initially decided to stay away from the meetings, so as not to 'influence' the outcome of consultations, and allow the public to have their say.

Coun Jackson said his group has an open mind on the proposed changes to day care, but would rather see cuts made in central administration than in services for the elderly and vulnerable..

A CONSULTATION exercise on the day care proposals runs until August 20, and final decisions are expected to be taken by the full county council in September. Further public meetings will be held on Tuesday at Haltwhistle Methodist Church; Wednesday at Amble Social Club, Bede Street; Thursday at The Salvation Army, Hartford Road West, Bedlington, and Friday at the Isabella Centre, Ogle Drive, Blyth. All will start at 6pm.

MEETING DATES