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£6.3m boost for learning services
From the Wiltshire Times, first published Sunday 23rd Dec 2007.
THE future shape of services for people with learning disabilities has been outlined by Wiltshire County Council.
It is part of the county council's commitment to ensure people with learning disabilities are provided with services that meet their needs.
By 2010 the authority is planning to invest £6.3m as part of its drive to modernise the service which started in 2002.
This will be funded through the sale of a number of existing properties and will use money from this to fund the new facilities.
In every case the council will ensure the replacement is ready before any facility is closed to ensure no one has a break in the service they receive.
In 2008/09 work is due to start on a specialist centre in south Wiltshire for people with autism which will mean they will not need to live outside the county. Work is also scheduled to upgrade the Amesbury activity centre.
In 2009/10 work is expected to start on a replacement building for the current Middlefield site in Chippenham. The day centre at Old Sarum will be replaced by a new centre.
As part of the service modernisation a number of people who are currently in more traditional style residential care homes are being given the opportunity to move into supported accommodation that will give them greater independence and better quality of life.
This will mean the council's two remaining residential care homes, Rutland House in Trowbridge and Sarum House in Old Sarum, will both close over the next two years.
The council will continue to provide residential care for people with learning disabilities for whom it is more appropriate.
All the day centres will remain open, with the exception of Marlborough, which will be closed to enable the land to be sold and the money reinvested elsewhere in the service.
The people currently using this centre will be served by other care providers or at other day centres.
Work has already been undertaken on a number of other facilities:
The new facilities are being developed following careful consultation with people who use these services and their carers.
John Thomson, cabinet member for social services, said: "This is a major programme of work that will provide people with learning disabilities and their carers with a much improved set of services.
"We have listened carefully to what people have said they want from this service and I believe this will ensure we are providing the right services to the right people in the right locations in the right way."
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