CHANGES to provision of care for the elderly and very young were passed through at last night's cabinet meeting.

Controversial plans to change the way wardens for people in sheltered housing are provided and the cutting of eight children's centres were put through despite many people objecting to them.

For elderly and disabled people the new regime means there will be a team of wardens operating at three Sheltered Plus locations, as yet to be determined, in the borough.

In order to qualify for it people would be assessed to see if they would be at a substantial risk of harm.

The plans are expected to shave £300,000 from the current £1.1m budget.

A previous attempt to instigate similar plans saw residents win a judicial review saying Barnet Council had not taken enough consideration of the impact it would have on people with disabilities.

At the meeting Councillor Sachin Rajput, who is in charge of adult social services, said there were 203 responses to the consultation, fewer than the 800 who replied in the 2009 plans.

He added: “We have applied the lessons from learned from previous consultations in the last two years. Older people put a lot of value on the basic things.

“Whilst response to this consultation is still negative in the majority we have had far less concern than last year. 36 per cent of respondents welcomed investment.”

He admitted the report showed the plans may have a negative impact on the disabled, elderly and women in particular it was because they were over-represented in the users compared to the overall demographic of the borough.

Members also decided to adopt Model X for children's centres, which will mean 13 will remain open in wards across the borough, whilst many of the latest centres built last year in libraries at a cost of £1m will not be used.

Councillor Andrew Harper, who looks after children's services, said the changes were needed as cash for safeguarding children was being put into one pot from the Government and cut back.

He added the plans would protect the “most in need” and said there would be an extra £1m invested in early intervention for families most in need.

The move was praised by fellow cabinet member and Edgware ward councillor Helena Hart, who said it would protect the Stonegrove children's centre in her ward, which she said “is an example of meeting the growing economic need of the surrounding population”.