Demand for adult social care rises in Bucks as council considers selling centres

There has been a 74 per cent gross increase in demand for ‘adult day opportunities’ since 2021, according to Independent Councillor Stuart Wilson, who leads the Impact Alliance group on the council.

During a budget scrutiny meeting on Tuesday (8 January), he claimed members had been briefed in private that demand for such services appeared to be growing as he asked about plans to close some adult day centres.

The council has consistently claimed there has been a 61 per cent drop in attendance at its day centres for disabled adults since 2020.

This remains one of the unitary authority’s main arguments for closing its centres, Seeleys House, Hillcrest Day Centre in Wycombe and Burnham Day Centre under a plan to save it around £500,000 a year.

But Craig McArdle, the council’s corporate director for adult social care told the meeting there was ‘rising demand’ for the adult day service – which includes the centres.

Plus, staff work at the centres, and parents who rely on them, have called for them to be saved.

Councillor Zahir Mohammed, the deputy cabinet member for public health, told Tuesday’s meeting that no decision had been taken on the day centres and that the council would wait the responses to a consultation on its plans, which expires on January 31.

Councillor Wilson warned the council was ‘giving up valuable assets’ it would ‘regret later down the line’.

Details and the consultation are available online here.