Group fights for survival

CLOSURE THREAT: (l-r) Steve Clayton and Keith Wall with members.

A LOCAL autism group has blasted Oldham Council over eviction and funding threats.

16+ Autism Group was set up by the local authority and forms part of its draft autism strategy - despite a 50 per cent funding cut and a 90 per cent cut in paid staff in February 2011.

Since then the group has been run by volunteer Steve Clayton, who has pulled it back from extinction with little council support.

The group now has until March to move out of a room at Chadderton Court - with no viable new venue offered by the council.

Mr Clayton said: “The problem with all this uncertainty surrounding the group is how this affects the people with autism. The very nature of the disability promotes worry and nervousness about breaks in routine. This total change is very unsettling.”

An ccommodation solution could be available close by. Chadderton Court backs on to Viking House, a building rented by Choice Support and Transport, a social care charity offering services for disabled and disadvantaged people. Keith Wall, who runs the company, is offering the group space in the building: “It is vital that Steve is helped to keep this group open because if it closed it would be devastating.”

Councillor Jenny Harrison, Oldham Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said: “Oldham Council leases Chadderton Court and the lease ends in September 2016. We pay the rent and all associated costs and provide the facility free of charge to Mr Clayton’s group. We would discuss any future changes well in advance.”

She added the council has no plans to cut funding for the group in the 2015/16 financial year - though Mr Clayton claims he has had strong indications his funding isn’t secure.

He said: “We started a big fundraising effort because we’d been led to believe that we might lose our money next year. If it’s true that we won’t, that would be the best news I could have.”

Councillor Harrison also explained that the council was in “positive talks” with 16+ Autism Group about its future.