The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has written to the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Abdul Jabbar and the Cabinet Member for Social Services, Councillor Jenny Harrison, asking them to work with him to explore ways to save the Link Centre from being a budget cut.

Councillor Sykes said: “I was saddened to read that as part of the current round of public consultation over proposed budget cuts, that consideration is being given to the closure of the Link Centre – Philip Harrison House.  I recognise that in the current financial climate real savings have to be made, but the Link Centre delivers unique person-centred services to a particularly deserving client group and these services may be impossible to replicate and so may be lost forever.”

“With people living longer more of us will live with disabilities and long-term health conditions will increase, more of us will also become carers to loved ones, so it is inconceivable that the demand for these services will not rise.”

Councillor Sykes has asked the two Councillors to work with him to explore whether the Link Centre could be developed into an independent living centre, based on the model of the Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living.

He added: “I recall private conversations with the late Councillor Philip Harrison, who impressed upon me his vision that the Link Centre should become a centre of disabled people for disabled people.  This is empowering and would represent our vision that a Co-operative Council should be an enabler to help our residents help themselves.”

“Yes budget cuts are a huge threat to services but they also present us with opportunities to do things differently.  The Glasgow model of service delivery is one that I think we should explore for Oldham on a cross-party basis with our officers and with the groups and individuals who also use the Link Centre, and those who in the future may wish to do so.” 

Copy letter attached: Link Centre….

 The Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living http://www.gcil.org.uk/