Council Will Shell Out To Save Cash

Councillors have decided to spend £1.7 million on projects which should save money long-term. Cambridgeshire County Council’s cabinet has approved 16 bids for cash from projects including helping parents of disabled children access direct payments for care, increasing the number of people in East Cambridgeshire and Fenland helped to live in their own homes and to allow older people to leave hospital as soon as possible after treatment. The schemes are all part of the council’s Invest to Save proposals.

The money will be invested over the next six years in improving and updating services to make them more cost effective and increase their performance. Most of the investments will generate savings and repay the investment within two to five years.

Another bid for £150,000 over two years will provide extra care sheltered housing and make rehabilitation and home care staff more available to provide services to prevent hospital or residential care admissions in the north and east of Cambridgeshire.

A further £225,000 will be invested over two years to enhance a vulnerable patients programme in Cambridge city and South Cambridgeshire.

£111,000 will go on a similar service in Huntingdonshire.

Cash will also be spent on developing the Youth Offending Team services, self-service in libraries, the range of council services and information available on the internet and making back office systems more efficient and less costly to run.