Salford City Council staff to run adult social care firm
Staff from a Greater Manchester council are to form their own firm to protect adult social care from budget cuts.
A proposal for a staff-owned company to run Salford City Council services has been approved "unanimously" by the council cabinet.
The 400 staff who currently run the services will be transferred to an independent, not-for-profit firm.
Other authorities have set up similar schemes, including Blackburn with Darwen Council, in 2011.
A report by Peter Connor, assistant mayor for services for adults and older people, was presented to the cabinet earlier.
The Labour councillor said: "The idea is to create a not-for-profit company owned by its staff and run for the benefit of the people it serves.
"Both staff and service users would decide what services are offered, be involved in developing innovative responses to present and future needs and have a strong voice in how the company develops.
"The company could also generate income which would reduce the need for core council funding over time while protecting services and jobs."
He said services for adult social care for people with complex needs had already been hit by budget cuts of more than £2m.
Labour-run Salford City Council serves approximately 800 people who have substantial or critical needs, estimated at a cost of £10.5m in the 2015-16 financial year.
Last month, the authority approved cuts of £31m for the next year, with a further 15% reduction the following year.
It plans to cut 200 posts in 2015-16 from its 8,500 workforce and the same number again during the following financial year.