County Council admit they are failing residents on social care

7.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 7th Jan 2008

Cllr Brian Hoare, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Northamptonshire County Council

Budget papers being considered by the County Council's Cabinet this coming Wednesday (9th. January 2008) show that the county saved almost £1million in November by reducing services provided by Community Services to older people, those with mental, physical health and learning difficulties.

Councillor Brian Hoare, Leader of the Liberal Democrat County Councillors said: "Last month we called for the resignation of the cabinet member responsible for older people's services under whose direction the service standards fell from three stars to one star.

We now know that under the political leadership of this Conservative Administration services to vulnerable people, the elderly, those with either physical or learning disabilities have been robbed of almost £1million pounds worth of services in just one month."

"We repeat our call - it is time for this cabinet member, and this current Conservative leadership to go. They are letting down the most vulnerable people in our county of Northamptonshire."

ENDS

Notes:

1. The report states the underspends are: "primarily from increased vacancies linked to the planned modernisation of day services, and care management - due to higher levels of staff turnover and recruitment difficulties (which are currently having an impact on the timeliness of response to customers)"

2. Lib Dems believe the recruitment difficulties are self-inflicted because the Council's HR policy is too cumbersome and inflexible, and a care service vacancy can take up to six months before being filled.