Relatives lead protests over cuts to services for disabled people

The number of centres will drop from 10 to seven if plans, aimed at saving 1.7m, are agreed when Hull Council sets its budget next month.

The authority says it will "work with local communities" to help open facilities in non council-owned buildings, such as communal areas in sheltered housing schemes.

But relatives fear their loved ones will end up having to travel to one of the few remaining centres and are concerned the quality of care will drop.

Staff at the centres are being asked if they want to take voluntary redundancy as part of a wider council "early termination" scheme.

Joanne Wright, whose son Lewis, 20, has been attending the Bilton Grange Community Centre since September, said: "We are fighting because no one else can do. The staff are lovely, they really are caring.

"They will be fitting 156 people into the three remaining centres, 50 people each, compared with the 19 now."

Lewis, who was born with part of his skull missing, is epileptic and needs a wheelchair to go out, but enjoys taking part in activities including swimming. Mrs Wright, who runs a newsagents on the Greatfield estate in the city, added: "They all know each other and they are going to be mixed in with people they don't know. They won't be able to do the amount of activities they do now because there won't be enough staff.

"There's nothing wrong with the building – it's quite modern."

Mrs Wright and other relatives are planning to hold a demonstration at Hull's Guildhall on February 24.

Meanwhile unions say despite two meetings with management they are none the wiser about the detail of what the authority is planning.

Adrian Kennett, who is the lead negotiator for the union Unison at the council, said cuts being proposed across the board, including closing three council-run care homes, Alderson Resource Centre, Nicholson House and Salingar House, were "unnecessary".

He complained that union representatives were being kept in the dark, adding: "The knock-on effect for the community of Hull will be massive. I think people are really starting to wake up now and see what the effect of these cuts will be.

"There will be some form of co-ordinated demonstrations, lobbies and it will be an ongoing process – it will not be going away."

Labour councillor Sean Chaytor said the council was being forced to make huge cuts because of previous failed attempts to make cost-savings.

He said: "At one of the centres they've been told they may have to send their loved ones to the Pennine Centre and one of their concerns is that people are going to have to spend half their lives on buses, plus they are doubling the cost of their day care. Quite a lot of those who use the facilities have conditions like autism and Aspbergers. They need to see carers whom they are used to."

However council leader Carl Minns said no final decisions had been made and claimed that over a year there would be more day services available than less, but not necessarily in buildings owned by the council. He said: "There's still going to be care facilities but we want to make sure they are in the best buildings possible."

Coun Minns said the changes were being driven by the Coalition and the previous Labour Government's efforts to give individuals personalised budgets. He added: "The council is effectively losing a lot of money because it is going direct to the recipients of council social services and they will decide where to spend the money themselves."

He added: "If the unions want meaningful discussions the council is not going to come with a plan that is set in stone."