Drug centre is under threat as funding pulled
ADRUG recovery service has had its funding pulled by the council.
The Cheshire East Substance Recovery centre run by Adullam Housing on Mill Lane, Macclesfield, provides accommodation for people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction.
There is a zero tolerance approach to all substances and other services are offered to try and get people back on their feet, with eight people currently living at the centre.
But its future is uncertain after Cheshire East council decided to stop paying the £48,000 a year to keep it running.
Caroline Walker, speak- ing on behalf of Adullam, say it’s unclear now if the service will be able to continue, but is in talks with the council to try and save it.
She said: “This service is staffed by dedicated and caring professionals who support residents towards independent living with great success.
“Although Cheshire East is not renewing its contract due to unrelated budget cuts in the borough, we are confident that alternative funding will be found to enable this valuable and successful service to continue its work.”
In a study last year, bosses at Adullam estimated the service saves emergency services millions of pounds by getting people the help they need and relieving the pressure on emergency healthcare and police time.
They estimated one man referred to Adullam had cost services more than £500,000 in one year. This included 88 police incidents, three hospital admissions, 46 ambulance call outs and 10 walk-in visits to A&E.
The service is the latest in a string of charities pro- viding services in Macclesfield to have funding stopped by the council, including the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, Disability Information Bureau and Macclesfield Live At Home.
Each of these organisations has had grants from Macclesfield Town Council for the short term.
A Cheshire East Council spokesman said: “Adullam has provided vital drug and alcohol services as a short-term provision while the Cheshire East Public Health Team procured new contracts.
“New providers are now meeting requirements and no services have been cut. All those who were being supported by Adullam and who still require services will be supported by other providers.”
‘We are confident alternative funding will be found’