The possibility of a respite centre in a remote part of the Highlands being closed under the council’s latest proposals to cut their budget has been met with anger.
Staff at the Assynt Care Centre, in Lochinver, were told on Thursday that the centre could shut in the summer as part of the Highland Council’s social work savings.
The centre, which provides respite care for the elderly in north-west Sutherland, has suffered a gradual reduction in services in the past few years.
It provided residential care beds until 2006 when they were removed as part of previous cost-cutting measures by the local authority. Two respite beds were also replaced by a “home from home” services, where local volunteers would be paid to take the elderly into their own homes to provide respite care.
A Highland Council spokesman yesterday confirmed that proposals to close the centre would be discussed at the council’s meeting on February 11.
But he added that there were discussions being held with a social enterprise project which proposed to take over the running of the centre.
Members of Assynt Community Council said that they were “outraged” at the proposals.
Chairman Robin Noble said: “If this is true, and it seems clear that it is, this is utterly disgraceful. Even Highland Council must be aware from the last time they made a unilateral decision to close it, that our community holds the Assynt Centre very dear, and regards it as one of our fundamental assets.
“Many people depend on it in a whole number of ways, and I cannot help thinking tonight of the elderly folk in our community, who now have no clear idea what or where their future is to be.”
Mr Noble added that the centre was a major employer in the area and that the community council was angry that they had not been consulted on the proposal.
He said: “Assynt will fight this decision. It should at once be suspended, and Highland Council should commit themselves to working with us to achieve a positive future for this critical asset.”
The council meeting on February 11 will discuss savings proposals for the three biggest council departments – education, culture and sport, social work and transport, environmental and community service.
The council needs to find £60million of savings over the next three years.
A total of £15million of savings was agreed last year but this means the bulk of savings are still to be found – £45million in 2011-12 and 2012-13.