Elderly People being Failed by Conservative Council

1.12.00pm GMT Tue 17th Jan 2006

Liberal Democrats today stated that the budget presented at today's County cabinet meeting will mean cuts in care for elderly people. Nearly £2.5m of net reductions are being made in this area. The Conservative cabinet are claiming that a special reserve fund of £1m - for one year only - means that these reductions are achievable, but the Liberal Democrats do not agree.

"This is simply not good enough," said Cllr Janet Godden, Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Adult and Community Services. "A one-off amount that does not even meet the coming year's needs is totally inadequate. What will happen the year after? The Conservatives seem bent on driving down the elderly services budget. If they are not, they should at the very least add in this much needed £1m on a permanent basis rather than calling it an Emergency Fund."

The MORI residents' survey carried out last summer, and the budget consultation carried out this year, both put care for elderly people as the very top priority for spending more money (60% of the respondents in the budget workshop said there should be more spending in this area). And figures show that the numbers of elderly people - especially those over 85 who need the most care - are set to rise, so the pressure on the budget can only get more acute.

Janet said, "Increases in home care charges are a particular concern. Ever since the last Tory Government it has been expected that social care, unlike almost all other public services, will be partly self-financing through means-tested charges. Oxfordshire is already a high charging authority and what the Conservative administration is now proposing will bring real hardship and distress to many older people."

Note to Editors

There is a predicted 16.5% growth in the 85+ population, the fastest growing age-group in Oxfordshire between 2005 and 2010. People in this age group are often high users of care services, including dementia care.