MP Backs Fight for Carers Centre

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 21st Nov 2006

Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne has given his wholehearted support to the carers of Eastleigh borough as they fight to retain their Carers Centre. Funding for the Centre, which has been running for 16 years, is to be axed by Adult Services at Hampshire County Council.

Chris said, "I know what a fantastic job carers do and how hard they work purely for love. They deserve to have all the support that they need."

Chris has written to Adult Services asking them to justify their decision, and to explain exactly how they will provide a service to an extra 600 people from within existing resources. He is also asking how it can be more cost effective to replace a charitable service, which can raise funds over and above the money received from the County Council, with a service provided exclusively by the County Council.

Chris added, "This seems to be an ill-informed decision that has been badly implemented. I call upon Adult Services to sit down with the carers of Eastleigh to find out what service they want and need, and to think again about how that can best be provided. It is insulting to carers to suggest that they will still have a decent service when money is being taken away and the staff who support them are losing their jobs."

Ken Dufton, Chief Executive of Eastleigh Community Services, the charity that runs the centre, agrees, saying, "Under this contract we receive £34k from Adult Services but this year we are planning to spend £56k. If that's not cost effectiveness I don't know what is. These changes will mean that all the extra investment in carers will also be lost."