Say No To Cuts in Elderly and Disabled People's Services by Richmond Borough Council

We, the undersigned, oppose the Council’s plans to:

• Include a person’s disability-related benefits in an assessment of how much they must contribute towards the costs of the social care support,

• Remove the weekly limit on an individual’s maximum personal contribution towards their social care,

• Stop providing services to people who are assessed as having ‘Moderate’ social care needs,

• Close Tangley Hall and Twickenham day centres.

We also object to Adult Social Care bearing similar funding cuts to other Council departments. This is because we believe the cuts will have a disproportionate and adverse impact on a group of residents who are already disadvantaged by barriers to work, education, local amenities and housing whilst also bearing the extra costs of living with a disability or long-term illness .

We urge the Council to make efficiency savings, but not to make any cost cutting measures that reduce our already limited disposable income or access to personalised social support. Any such measures will be unfair and adversely affect our ability to achieve independence and to become valued and equal citizens.

This petition is supported by the following consortium of local voluntary organisations;

Richmond Users Independent Living Scheme (RUILS), Richmond AID, Age Concern (Richmond), Crossroads, Richmond Carers Centre, Richmond Home and Lifestyles Trust, Richmond Advocacy Partners/Speaking Up, Spear, Richmond Mencap, Richmond Borough Mind, Richmond CAB.