County's 'Older Peoples' Services' Going Backwards, Says Watchdog

4.44.19pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 25th Oct 2007

Conservative cuts in older peoples' services are starting to bite, warns Councillor Hoare

A report by the Commission for Social Care Inspection shows that the services for older people provided by the County Council are "going backwards, not forwards", according to Councillor Brian Hoare, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Northamptonshire County Council.

Last year the Commission's inspection into 'adult social care', of which services for older people is part, said that the Council was serving "most" people well and the prospects for improvement were "promising." In contrast, this year's report said that the council is only serving "some" people well and that prospects for improvement were "uncertain"!

"Midway through the Conservative Administration's term of office, services are now going backwards, not forwards. The budgets cuts last year are now starting to bite into the effectiveness of services", said Cllr. Hoare.

The Council has put forward an Action Plan in response to the inspection report. "We will be watching how the council implements this action plan", he added, "and just as importantly we will be challenging any move by the Conservatives to reduce funding for older peoples' services in the next budget round!"

ENDS

(A copy of the report can be viewed at www.csci.org.uk)