Council chief's passionate plea for re-think on special needs cuts

In a break with tradition Mr Norman Davidson supported a notice of motion by Councillor Jonathan Craig criticising the Department of Health and the Department of Education for the proposed cuts to special needs funding.

It was the first time in his long career Mr Davidson had spoken during a debate.

"Everyone accepts savings are going to have to be achieved but I think whichever officers and politicians have considered this (cuts to special needs) to be a sound recommendation have got to have a flawed sense of judgement" he said.

"Whoever has generated this as an option has to be held accountable, they have to be asked to explain why they reached this decision.

"As Chief Executive, with some experience of having to make cuts and savings, I refuse to accept there is not a less harmful way of making the necessary financial savings," he continued.

"How decision makers have brought it to this stage beats me. This is probably only the first of many difficult choices that have to be made but the message must get through about what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. We really must mark their cards.

"Officers who prepare these proposals must stretch themselves further and give up their empire building in order to save the money that is required. This ludicrous proposal must be reversed," he concluded.

Mr Craig's notice condemned the proposed cuts which it said would have 'a detrimental impact on services for children and adults'. It called on the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust to stop plans to reduce or remove transport for the Lisburn Gateway Club and to reverse 'drastic cuts to Autism and Autism NI in particular'.

Mr Craig paid tribute to the thousands of carers in the city who, he said, were "driven by pure love and compassion".

"Those with Special Needs – be they Autistic or have a Learning Disability, or indeed both, deserve more, not less in the provision of services" he said.

"It has become clear that in response to the latest round of efficiency savings it is the intention of the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust to cut funding to the organisations that are there to help the many service users and carers out there.

"These cuts threaten two very important and dedicated services in Lagan Valley - the Lisburn Gateway Club and the Lisburn Carers Forum.

"Cutting funding to them is totally and utterly unforgivable. It is an appalling decision which I strongly oppose and I urge us as a Council to condemn. If the funding goes it is my understanding that these groups will try to operate as best they can, however this will be a struggle and services will be lost

"I urge the Council to condemn these cuts and to lobby to ensure that they do not happen. I believe that these services are being targeted because the education board and health Trust feel that they are an easy target.

"We must fight for them and defend the needs of those with a Learning Disability, Autism and their carers."