Council to debate closure of 'lifeline' day centre

Councillors will debate proposals to close a day service for people with learning disabilities as part of a series of cuts.

In addition to shutting Linden Court in Eastbourne, East Sussex County Council (ESCC) also revealed plans earlier this year to slash housing support funding in the borough.

The moves were announced after ESCC declared it was in its "worst financial situation ever" and needed to cut nearly £4m from its adult social care budget for 2025/26.

But, following scrutiny committee calls for a rethink in March, both will be discussed further by full council on Tuesday, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

In September, leader Keith Glazier said the cost of social care for adults and children was "through the roof", taking up three quarters of the council's budget.

However, the call to close Linden Court and merge it with the Beeching Park day service in Bexhill was met with much public opposition.

Families of those who use the centre wrote personal letters to council cabinet members describing the facility as "a lifeline" and asking them to think again.

There were similar objections to a drastic reduction of funding for the housing-related floating support service to prevent homelessness.

If green-lit, the service will see its funding cut from £4.3m per year to £500,000 per year from October, expected to result in a half-year saving of about £1.9m for the council.

But council papers previously suggested this could instead incur of cost of £9.9m to borough and district councils already struggling with homelessness pressures.

Following Tuesday's debate councillors may decide to either take no further action or refer the measures back to cabinet for a final decision.

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