SOCIAL care services for adults and older people in York face a major restructure, as the council works to make the systems suitable for an ageing population.

The council's cabinet will on Tuesday consider a series of proposals for adult social care, including bids to provide more home-based care and to help people stay in their homes, and the introduction of more preventative services including ways to improve diets and cute down on alcohol.

After consultations with service users and other people, the council is looking for ways to rely less on hospital-based care and care homes, and to create a more sustainable system that supports the most vulnerable and delivers value for money.

The changes will, they say, require a cultural shift across the whole social care system, including much closer working between the NHS, the council and the community.

Practically these plans will be seen in six new projects - including better support for carers, new Elderly People's Homes, and more care workers.

If the cabinet approves the proposals on Tuesday, more engagement work will be launched before detailed plans come back for a final decision in March.

At the same meeting, the cabinet will look at the impact of the new Care Act on the way it charges people for adult social care - with major changes du in April 2015 and April 2016.

And plans to turn Burton Stone Lane Communtiy Centre into a Community Hub with a day activity programmes for over 60 adults with a learning disability or autism look likely to be approved.

Creating a hub will help the council to work with local organisations to make community centres self-supporting, saving £180,000 from council budgets from 2013-15.

Cllr Linsay Cunningham-Cross, Cabinet Member for Health and Community Engagement, said: “Burton Stone Community Centre is an important local asset for Clifton and I am excited about this opportunity to give it a new lease of life and secure its future in difficult financial circumstances.

"There are numerous possibilities that this Specialist Activity Base and the building as a whole could bring to the community and, subject to cabinet’s decision, we’ll be working hard alongside all those involved to ensure the concept is a lasting success.”