Council ranked in top five in ‘coping with the cuts’ report

Rochdale Council has been ranked as one of the best performing local authorities in the country when it comes to reducing the impact of budget cuts on disabled people.

The council was ranked third out of 152 councils in England that have taken part in a study carried out by the think tank Demos.

The study, funded by the disability charity Scope, was undertaken to establish what impact budget cuts were having on those with disabilities. The research lists the councils based on the impact cuts are having on the disabled and how the council is coping.

The report suggests the councils coping level is ‘very good’

Rochdale was ranked in the top five councils alongside Knowsley, Peterborough, Oxfordshire, and West Berkshire.

Jane Ashton, Head of Access and Enablement at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “In Rochdale we understand that people with disabilities have important rights of access to everyday services. This is not just about physical access, it is about making services easier to use for everybody.

“Despite the financial pressures we are facing, we are determined to keep working with local people to help us ensure that the services in Rochdale continue to meet their needs.”

Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of disability charity Scope, continued: “We know that every council has to make cuts and there is no simple way to protect front-line services. However it’s clear that some councils are taking creative steps to attempt to reduce the negative impact of budget cuts on disabled constituents and its right to commend those councils for taking the initiative to do so.”

Claudia Wood, author of the report Coping with the Cuts, said: “Our new coping index goes beyond the top-line funding settlement and looks at what this is doing to disability services – such as increasing service charges and restricting eligibility.”

An interactive map displaying the Coping with Cuts Index across England and Wales is available at www.demos.co.uk/disability-cuts-map.