Fareham councillors hit out at Hampshire County Council social care cuts

Fareham Borough Council has had to ‘pick up the tab’ following a £360,000 cut in the county council’s adults’ health and care budget. The borough council will now stump up £78,000 to compensate for the share of that money that it has lost.

The budget funds social inclusion services which provide support for rough sleepers and people in supported housing schemes.

The county council currently spends £2.4m a year funding these services which has been cut by £3.8m since November 2017.

The decision is part of a wider plan for the county council to decrease its adult social care and health spending by £40.6m before March 2023.

Speaking in Monday’s Fareham executive meeting, Councillor Simon Martin said: ‘I continue to be disappointed by Hampshire County Council’s gnawing away at the budgets and reduction of services, again.’

Cllr Susan Walker added: ‘They cut the youth funding budget and this is another budget and always we have to end up supporting those very important activities throughout the borough.’

Cllr Connie Hockley added: ‘What frightens me is it’s gone down this year and next time it’s going to come down again. It’s only because this council is prudent with its finances that we are able to pick up the tab this time but we're not always going to be able to do it.’

The county council’s spending on homelessness services across Fareham and Gosport will reduce from £436,651 to £370,620 by April.

A budget allocation of £78,000 a year was agreed by executive members to ensure that services continue to run.