Express & Star

Third protest over Walsall Council's alarm axe decision

Campaigners held their third protest over a council’s decision to cut funding to a ‘lifeline’ alarm system.

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Protester Amy Wolfs criticised the decision.

The proposal to axe funding for the community alarm system was approved last year by cash-strapped Walsall Council.

The £1.29m service, which provides a 24/7 care service for people who need extra support, was cancelled as the authority looked to balance the books due to budget pressures. But the decision sparked a storm of protest from users, their families and opposition councillors.

Amy Wolfs, from Brownhills, started a petition against the cuts, said the protest on at Walsall Town Hall on Wednesday had been held to ‘hit back’ at the council.

She said: “They are not changing their minds and, to be honest, I’m not so naive to think they would. Part of the reason why I protest is to show residents are not happy, service users are not happy.

“If they make more cuts that affect the disabled I will protest and argue about that.

“I don’t think it’s fair. We’re the ones that end up with services cut because they think we’re easy targets. I’m trying to show people are not going to tolerate this and we’re going to hit back and not be victims.”

The 29-year-old said the alarm system gave ‘independence’ to her husband – and said it was a ‘short-sighted’ decision.

She added: “My husband is a service user. We had our service installed in October and then we heard that it had been cancelled.

“We were not told anything. It doesn’t just give my husband independence and lets him know if he slips he can get support, it means independence for me to know he’s safe. Being able to have the system allows my children to have some normality because I can take them out and play with them. My argument is how many does these cuts affect?

“It’s not just users – it’s friends and family. People rely on entirely on this service and they will be left with nothing. It’s a very short-sighted decision on the service without realising that dependency on social care will rise.”

Leader of Walsall Council Mike Bird defended the decision, calling the system not fit for service. He said: “All of the protestors are Labour Party supporters.

“They fail to understand that this was the Labour budget in 2017 and we continued with that budget. No, it will not be reversed and no, the system is not fit for service. We would have to invest in a digital system between £3m to £5m, which the council doesn’t have.

“We’ve signposted people to the private providers who can provide a better service between £4 and £14 a week

.”

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