Cabinet Budget - Social & Community Services

Speech by Cllr Gail Bones delivered to County Council on Tue 10th Feb 2009

This administration was elected on a promise of low taxes, real choice and value for money.

In all three aspects for our fellow citizens who rely on support from adult social services it is clear that they have failed to deliver.

Council tax will rise by more than inflation at a time where the most vulnerable in our community see the value of their savings reduce, the value of their pensions decline and for those who can still work, the opportunities for work decrease.

And despite this there will be less choice and fewer services available.

For the most vulnerable in our county there is no value for money. In fact, there is no money.

The Tory administration promise savings from activities long discredited in the private sector such as business process re-engineering which can only mean real cuts in real services as their promises fail to materialise. They claim to be able to reduce the need for residential care through investment in prevention strategies.

And what is this investment? Like their national plan for economic recovery it turns out to be no more than hot air.

It is all very well the Tories opposite attending meetings and congratulating our county partners and county officers for saying all the right things about prevention; quality of life and how to deal with the demographic time-bomb.

However, until they show us where they will make a real investment to ensure that longevity is matched with mental health and cultural fulfilment it all sounds rather hollow.

The Tories track record doesn't fill one with confidence either.

Last year their cabinet found it impossible to achieve the savings they identified and as a result we are greeted with the spectacle of Cabinet actually ADDING to these. More hot air on top of last year's stale old hot air.

Let's not be bashful here, in these circumstances we know we don't mean savings, efficient or otherwise, what we mean are CUTS IN SERVICES!