A GROUP which supports homeless people in Derbyshire has accused the county council of "breaking promises" after proposals to slash its funding by 85% were announced.
The Labour-led authority is considering cutting a further £7m from the housing-related support programme.
It said deep Government cuts to the council's funding were to blame.
Cabinet members agreed to launch a public consultation on the proposals this morning.
If given the go-ahead, SAFE – a consortium providing housing and support to homeless 16 to 24 year-olds – would lose 85% of its funding.
The consortium said this would lead to increased levels of rough sleeping, social exclusion, crime, unemployment and other social problems.
Andrew Redfern, chief executive of Framework - the lead partner in the SAFE consortium, which supports nearly 300 young people - said: "What the council is proposing is not only illogical, irrational and unfair, it also directly contradicts its stated aims for the kind of young people we are supporting.
"It is very clear that the council is prepared to break its own promises.
"Make no mistake, if these cuts go ahead as planned this service will cease to exist in March 2016, leaving hundreds of the most vulnerable and excluded young people in our communities without the support they need.
"We know that if these young people are not offered this kind of help now, they will present with far more challenging problems in future.
"What makes these proposals so hard to take is the fact this has been such a successful service. It has consistently performed well ahead of national guidelines and is acknowledged to save the public nearly £9 for every £1 that is spent.
"We are not blind to the economic challenges faced by the council and realise they have difficult choices to make - but the fact remains that they are now making an active choice to cut adrift some of the most vulnerable and excluded young people in the county."
Councillor Clare Neill, cabinet member for adult care, said Mr Redfern's claim that the service would cease to exist was not true.
She said: "The housing association within the consortium would continue. There would be a reduced service but there would be a service.
"We drafted the manifesto on the basis of having to cut £127 million. Then, in the summer of last year, we found out about an additional £30 million – and that was the straw the broke the camel's back.
"It's meant we've had to cut deeper."
Ms Neill also denied the accusation that Labour had broken promises.
She said: "Last month, we published a list of the cuts that we're having to consider and every part of the council is being touch in some way.
"Yes, vulnerable young people are going to receive less service but that is also true of older people, disabled people and every group that the council supports.
"I understand that people are angry and want to campaign about the cuts. My plea to them is to focus their campaign on the Government, because I can only spend what the Government has given me."
In response, Lisa Del Buono, service director of Framework – one of three voluntary organisations that make up the SAFE consortium – said: "The 85% cut that is being proposed is disproportionate. Domestic abuse services, for example, is being cut far less."
Around 25 protesters from the consortium attended today's cabinet meeting.
Council leader Anne Western told them their voices will be listened to.
She said: "These are proposals. It is not the end of the story."
