U-turn by Tories ends £26 day care charge (Swindon Liberal Democrats)

Swindon Liberal Democrats <info@swindonlibdems.org>

U-turn by Tories ends £26 day care charge

February 17, 2005 4:31 PM

elderly resident holding hands with young care worker

elderly resident holding care workers hands

Swindon Liberal Democrats have welcomed an eleventh hour change of heart by Conservatives running the Council. A budget proposal to charge residents £26 to visit Council Day Centres has been cancelled.

Liberal Democrat leader, Cllr Chris Shepherd (Freshbrook & Grange Park) said: "I welcome this Tory U-turn on charging our most vulnerable residents rocket high tax for an essential service. This desperate change of direction shows that Tory cuts to front-line services was un-costed and probably agreed on the hoof.

"When the taxes were proposed the Lib Dems pointed out that these increases were unfair and would hit a large number our most vulnerable users, the Tories didn't listen. Instead they have wasted time and resources on an unworkable proposal.

"Yet again the Tories have demonstrated that they put dogma before efficient delivery of services - that they know the cost of everything and the value of nothing. They went to the electorate promising to restrict Council Tax increases before considering how they would do this without beggaring the Council and hacking services. We need to know if more Tory service-cuts will be quashed at Monday evening's budget meeting."

Acting Tory cabinet member for Social Services says in a council press release, "When we realised that almost 20% of people would have to pay the full amount, it just didn't seem to make sense. Informal conversations suggested that many of those would not attend if it did cost them £26, so the total amount of income could actually go down. We are now going out to consult with day centre users on a maximum of £10 a day."

Swindon Tories first raised day care charges from 65p to £5.00 a day in October 2004. Closing two north Swindon Care Homes in the summer of 2004 preceded this.

Lib Dem leader, Cllr Shepherd continued:

"This is not a time for the Tories to play with the lives of the most vulnerable people in society with wanton threats of cuts to satisfy blood thirsty backbench Tories wanting a low Council Tax.

"We all want a low Council Tax, but only if that low tax delivers quality services and assists the Council in its ambitions of recovery from its position in the list of worst local authorities in the country."