Council taxpayers are being charged millions of pounds over the odds to house people with learning disabilities hundreds of miles from Sussex.

Green city councillor Keith Taylor has criticised the £8.2 million spent each year by Brighton and Hove City Council on placing people as far away as Devon and Wales.

The number of adults with learning difficulties in Brighton and Hove who are found a home outside of the city is twice the national average, costing the city £4 million extra compared to other areas.

Green councillors are calling for city-based care for all people with learning disabilities.

But the council has defended its record, pointing out that a full review of people placed outside the city has been carried out in the last six months and anyone wanting to return has been helped.

A council spokesman said: "We aim to find the right accommodation and support for people, locally whenever possible.

"However, ensuring that services are set up to meet the specialist needs of adults with a learning disability has to be at the heart of what we do and is intrinsic to our duty of care to these people.

"Sometimes this means people have to be placed outside of the city.

"But most of these are in neighbouring authorities so that they can keep in touch with their families."

The new Learning Disabilities Housing Strategy, agreed this week (MON) by the council's adult social care committee, reveals the average cost to place people outside of the city is £1,303.25 per week per person.

Coun Taylor, Green convenor and spokesman on adult social care, said: "While 67 per cent of people with learning difficulties are in neighbouring authorities, 33 per cent are as far away as Devon or Wales, which makes it very difficult and expensive for families and friends to maintain contact with their loved ones or to be sure in their own minds that suitable care is provided.

"When we see acknowledged centres of excellence closing in Brighton and Hove, such as the Palmiera Project autistic care facility, and then learn that the council is paying over the odds for long-distance care, it's clear that something is very wrong with policies which have led to our community's most vulnerable being sent away to be cared for."

The council said those at the Palmeira Project are being provided with the same high quality of care and better access to services at a specially-created facility at Drove Road, Portslade.

The council spokesman said: "This is not a closure, it is a move to a different location that has resulted in a substantial saving to local taxpayers."

The housing strategy, which runs from now until 2010, hopes to deliver a better range of housing and support, provide high quality accommodation and nearby homes.

The scheme will also reduce the number of people in residential care.

Coun Taylor added: "Greens are not convinced that redirecting existing resources and greater use of state benefits will cover the costs.

"We fear that people with learning disabilities and their families will suffer from an under-financed strategy."

The council added that the city based service has been expanded, including a new facility for young people with challenging behaviour, many of whom would have previously been placed out of the Brighton and Hove.

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