BRITAIN’S first pressure group to fight against public service cuts to mentally ill, disabled and vulnerable people has been launched in Sandwell and Halesowen.

Sandwell and Dudley Vulnerable Against Cuts (SADVAC) was officially launched this week after a raft of cost cutting measures that has hit education, respite care, benefits and day care.

The group, which is made up of the disabled, carers and volunteers have promised to fight cuts ‘by any means necessary’.

SADVAC chairman John Tipper said: “The last few months have seen an unprecedented attack on vital public services in Halesowen and Sandwell that the mentally ill, the disabled, the infirm and those with learning difficulties rely on.

“Already courses for students with learning difficulties at Sandwell College have been axed, the Meadows Special School in Oldbury has had £2m grants blocked, Dudley Council is cutting back on disabled day care and everyone is bracing themselves for changes to the disability benefits system.”

He added: “We started as a group of carers in Cradley Heath discussing worries over Sandwell College axing courses for students with learning difficulties but now we have grown into a group which will stick up for the most vulnerable in society.

“The decision to stop students with learning disabilities using Sandwell College devastated many local families and we don’t want a decision brought through the back door ever again.”

SADVAC are planning to lodge a flurry of Freedom of Information requests into Dudley and Sandwell Councils to discover plans to cut back services and discover waste.

He added: “We are a non-political group because all political parties will be cutting back services either in National Government or Local Government but SADVAC will be here to keep them to account.”

“For an example If Dudley Council axe a day centre for the disabled to save £100,000 and then we find out they are spending £100,000 on catering for councillors then we will be furious.”

For more information about SADVAC email sadvac@hotmail.com or follow www.twitter.com/sadvac.