The Local Government Association has today issued a report on delays to the publication of the social care green paper: One year on: the LGA green paper for adult social care and wellbeing(external link). This includes a section written by Calderdale Council’s Chief Executive, Robin Tuddenham (page 21), where he describes the impact on Calderdale.
The LGA has also issued a press release Councils set Government ten-week deadline to publish much-delayed social care green paper(external link) to promote the publication of the report.
Please find below a supporting statement from Robin Tuddenham:
Calderdale Council media statement
Calderdale Council’s Chief Executive, Robin Tuddenham said:
“Since 2010 councils have had to contend with a 50% reduction in government funding, whilst every year demand for services has increased.
“For Calderdale social care now accounts for 56% of all our spending on services, compared with about 47% in 2010/11. People are living longer but there has also been a huge increase in demand for support for adults with learning disabilities and complex needs.
“Consequently, spending on non-social care services has reduced by a third over the same period. Budgets for planning and development have been halved, according to the NAO, while spending on housing services and highways and transport has fallen by 46% and 37% respectively.
“So in Calderdale we’ve invested in early intervention through our pioneering ‘Staying Well’ programme, with our community partners, to help tackle loneliness.
“And we’re working with partners in health and the voluntary and community sector to create a sustainable and integrated health and care system, ‘Calderdale Cares’, which provides the support which people need in the place where they live, whilst giving residents more say over how things are run.
“However, there is only so far we can go and we urgently need the Government to develop a long term solution to sustainable funding for social care.
“Unless this happens, we face the risk that councils will only be able deliver services to our most vulnerable residents and we will simply be unable to support the thriving communities that all our residents are proud to call home.”
ENDS