Conservative Budget - Social Care (Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats)

Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats <info@oxfordshirelibdems.org.uk>

Conservative Budget - Social Care

February 13, 2007 12:00 AM
By Cllr Janet Godden in County Council

I want to talk on two points:

First, demographic growth in older people's services: it is monstrous of the Conservatives to talk of other groups "following them" in putting money in their budgets to fund demographic growth. The fact is, that until 2002 inflation for what was called "elderly demography" and "learning disability demography" was built into the budget year on year. In 2002 this was discontinued against the better judgement of many of us who said how unwise this was. Had it not been discontinued we would have had annual budget uplifts to take account of increased numbers in the population, and not been in the position where we find ourselves today. I have no hesitation at all in saying "We told you so."

And then, efficiency savings. First the misleading terminology, with which the Administration colludes, although fair to say to say it did not invent it. If I have £100 in my budget in year 1, and in year 2 my costs increase to £110 but I only receive £105, I do not have to save, I have to economise. And although my funders may be able to claim that they are 'putting more money' into my budget I will probably have to make cuts and reductions in my plans. Under the Administration's 'CHOICE' mantra, 'H' stands for Honesty, and I believe that the people of Oxfordshire deserve better. We can none of us do what we want with the money available. The Liberal Democrat budget contains cuts, but we do not pretend that it doesn't. For the Administration to allege that their budget has no cuts is playing with words, and is not honest.

Second, the Gershon Report states that 'savings' - i.e. economies - should come from procurement and e-gov to fund investment in front line services. Fair enough. I see nothing in Gershon about disinvesting in front-line services - by, for instance, removing the Sunday overtime bonus from homecare workers - in order to keep the Council tax down. The Administration's intention is clear on page 34 of the Corporate Plan, under the Financial Strategy: "Our strategy is based on a commitment to reduce the rate of increase in council tax for each of the next four years." And in paragraph 8 of the Introduction to the budget (CC8, page 2), we find the proud boast that efficiency savings (i.e. economies) are well in excess of the Gershon target. We've come a long way in some 26 pages from the bold Vision on page 8 of the Plan: "We will deliver prosperity and security to the people of Oxfordshire [...] we will measure success by continuous improvement in our services." Some hope.