Lib Dem Budget - Caring for Older and Needy People

2.31.13pm GMT Mon 4th Feb 2008

The Liberal Democrat Alternative Budget launched yesterday will spend an extra £800,000 above the Cabinet's recommended budget on care for elderly and vulnerable adults, and £2m extra in the following year, increasing even more in future years. This is a particular priority for the Liberal Democrats who know that these services are grossly underfunded nationally and that even locally they have been squeezed time and time again, with serious effects on frail elderly people, and people with disabilities or mental health needs.

Cllr Janet Godden, opposition spokesperson on Adult Services, said:

"We are putting a significant amount of money into the care budget for the coming year, and increasingly more for the years after that, in order to combat over a decade of inadequate funding. We have allowed for extra costs associated with higher numbers of older people needing care; and we are also investing in new ways of supporting people to live safely and comfortably at home, which is the key to the way forward in the longer term.

"An 'excellent' council doesn't deserve the name if it is prepared to sit back and allow services to dwindle in real terms behind a disguise of efficiency savings. People who depend on our services deserve better than that. This budget puts their needs first.

"It is also important to tackle increasing problems with delayed transfers of care from hospital, working with our partners in health to ensure that people do not stay in hospital any longer than they need or want to, and that in-patient beds are kept free for acute care."