Council hits back at claims it 'unable or unwilling' to fund Sheffield charity which ended autism service

Autism Plus, located on Bridge Street in Sheffield city centre, will no longer provide support for disabled adults at their homes due to 'external funding pressures'.

The move has resulted in planned job losses and the news has angered parents and carers who use the service.

EXCLUSIVE: Anger as Sheffield charity ends adult autism support service resulting in job losses

Charity boss Phillip Bartey told The Star they had no choice to but to serve time on their contract as Sheffield Council were 'unable to meet increasing costs' imposed on the charity due to 'changes in employment law, the introduction of the National Living Wage, travel time, sleep in costs and inflation'.

He said: "We deeply regret having to withdraw our support for disabled people and their families in the City of Sheffield but we are a charity and unable to sustain state provision that the state is unable or unwilling to fund.

"We have carried losses on our contract for five years now whilst trying to renegotiate the contract with the council without success."

But council bosses have hit back at the claims and said Autism Plus failed to bid for an improved contract with the authority with higher rates of pay.

A spokesman from Sheffield Council said: “We offered all supported living providers, including Autism Plus, the opportunity to bid for an improved contract with higher payment rates earlier this year.

"Unfortunately Autism Plus did not choose to bid for this contract. However we had strong interest from other Sheffield care providers. This includes a number who have teams skilled at working with people who live with autism, and we know we have enough provision in Sheffield.“We are working with everybody affected by the decision of Autism Plus and are arranging alternative support. We’re asking people to contact us if they have any questions.”

Charity bosses said the council did not meet their demands to cover rising costs over the last five years adding there was 'no offer of a higher priced contract'.

Campaigner and supporter of Autism Plus, Adam Bradford, criticised charity bosses for being overly reliant on state funding.

He said: “It is sad to see such a vital and much needed service like this close down. It saddens me that in these times of austerity, that charities are still reliant on state funding to such a degree that services can become seemingly as fragile as this.

"The fall of Autism Plus’ service is deeply saddening, unfortunate and shocking. For the chief executive to use this opportunity to attack the state bemuses me. Charities need to be more enterprising than just seeking grants to meet their costs. I hope Autism Plus has adopted this approach or that it will in the future.

"I know many who have been touched by the wonderful support given by Autism Plus and I only hope that local authorities and other charities now rally round to support those in need."

In response to the council, Mr Bartey added: "We met with the council in the summer and asked them to meet our inflationary unmet costs over the last five years. #

"The council stated it was not able to meet these costs. They informed us a new contract would be announced in three months time and they would like us to bid for it. We followed up the meeting with a letter reiterating the main points discussed during our meeting. Essentially this amounted to a request to pay the unmet inflationary costs, to recognise the impact of NLW and associated costs imposed by government and changes in employment law.

"If these costs could be met we would consider any future opportunity to bid for contracts. We explained that failure to meet the unpaid inflationary costs could lead to serving notice on the Homecare contract.

"We received no response to our letter that was sent by post and email. No further communication has been received from the council and no offer of a higher priced contract.

"Contractually we are entitled to serve 30 days notice on contracts. We served 60 days in order to ease transition arrangements."