Kent County Council plans funding cuts to community health groups

Kent County Council is looking to save nearly £40m from its next budget

Kent County Council has proposed cutting £4.3m of funding that it gives to community health services as part of plans to balance its budget.

Cabinet member for adult social care Clair Bell described it as "the hardest proposal that's come forward since I've been in my role."

The authority needs to make an overall saving of £39.1m.

Speaking at a council meeting on Wednesday, Ms Bell said: "No one is less comfortable with this than me.

"It keeps me awake at night, and not much does."

She said the cuts would "mean a significant reduction in the funding we offer to voluntary sector organisations in the community who provide things like wellbeing, mental health, and navigation services.

"There are going to be changes which people are not going to like and we will do our best to work through it."

But she stressed the council's "first port of call would be to meet people's needs under the care and mental health act," according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Clair Bell said she was not "comfortable" making the proposed cuts

Labour councillor Jackie Meade told the meeting: "If we are having to cut the voluntary funding, then a lot of these other services will become less effective and some may well fall down."

Kent County Council's draft budget, which is due to go before the full council on 9 February, proposes a 5% increase in council tax, with 2% of that being ringfenced for social care costs.

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