Wednesday, March 14, 2007
COMMUNITY CARE
LAMBETH'S REDUCTION IN HOME CARE SERVICES FOR ELDERLY.
We have reported on the impact on services in the Council's budget, one article base on information supplied by Age Concern and another based on an article by Lambeth's Labour group. We are grateful to Cllr Clare Whelan (Conservative) who has written the following .
Clare writes....
I think the report below on the Herne Hill forum website about the funding of community care services in the budget is a little one sided. It is true that the previous administration voted for a council tax freeze but it is worth noting that the Labour group at the time actually voted for an evet lower Council tax. It is also correct that there are massive pressures across London on community care budgets but it is not correct that the Council were forced change the criteria so that people with very severe community care needs would receive help and also to raise the costs of home care but a huge 120 percent. That was a choice the Labour administration made. They could, for example, have chosen not to raise their own allowances, or not to have so many communications officers, but they chose instead not to fully fund adult services for the elderly and vulnerable causing severe hardship to many who depend on the Council's help. (The Conservative Group put forward a legal, fully costed, budget proposal that would have avoided this.) It is also worth noting that the 'adjustment' you mention was yet another hidden financial blunder by previous Labour administrations that only recently surfaced and wiped out the reserves carefully built up by the previous administration.
Sorry to complain. Generally the website is an excellent source of information and I know you will be as keen as I am to ensure it maintains a reputation for impartiality.
with best wishes
We have reported on the impact on services in the Council's budget, one article base on information supplied by Age Concern and another based on an article by Lambeth's Labour group. We are grateful to Cllr Clare Whelan (Conservative) who has written the following .
Clare writes....
I think the report below on the Herne Hill forum website about the funding of community care services in the budget is a little one sided. It is true that the previous administration voted for a council tax freeze but it is worth noting that the Labour group at the time actually voted for an evet lower Council tax. It is also correct that there are massive pressures across London on community care budgets but it is not correct that the Council were forced change the criteria so that people with very severe community care needs would receive help and also to raise the costs of home care but a huge 120 percent. That was a choice the Labour administration made. They could, for example, have chosen not to raise their own allowances, or not to have so many communications officers, but they chose instead not to fully fund adult services for the elderly and vulnerable causing severe hardship to many who depend on the Council's help. (The Conservative Group put forward a legal, fully costed, budget proposal that would have avoided this.) It is also worth noting that the 'adjustment' you mention was yet another hidden financial blunder by previous Labour administrations that only recently surfaced and wiped out the reserves carefully built up by the previous administration.
Sorry to complain. Generally the website is an excellent source of information and I know you will be as keen as I am to ensure it maintains a reputation for impartiality.
with best wishes
Cllr Clare Whelan
Labels: HOME SUPPORT FOR ELDERLY
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