CHANGES to adult social care – which could see the closure of two day centres – is the best way forward, according to a councillor.

Clr Stuart Cunliffe, Wigan Council’s portfolio holder for adult and social care, told the Journal that squeezed budgets meant something had to change.

But he believes they are doing it in a way that will benefit people’s lives.

He said: “The situation we actually face and every local authority faces is a severe reduction in finance and this means we have some fairly stark choices to make.”

The council is currently consulting on the changes which could see the closure of two day centres, including Fourways in Tyldesley and replaced by the use of community groups and CICs to build individual care packages for users.

“I think it is the way forward,” he said.

“Take Fourways for example, we are assessing people with brain injuries there to see if they can live at home but this would be done much better in their own homes.

“I understand that there are people currently using these services that are worried about the changes but we have examples of where it has worked.

“It is not the case that if someone is at a day centre which is going to close they will not have one. There will still be a number of them available for the people who really need them.”