Pledge To Deliver Action Plan For Moray Carers

Carers across Moray are to receive better means of support after councillors pledged to deliver a revised strategy and action plan.

Members at yesterday’s meeting of the education and social services committee approved a series of targets that are expected to be met by September 2008.

Proposals included implementing improved carer assessment rates and developing a specification for services put out to tender.

The decision was made despite objections from Moray Carers Project, who believe the proposed target date will have a detrimental effect on their workforce by moving staff on to six-month contracts as early as April next year.

Project young carers co-ordinator Russell Stuart gave his full support to the council’s strategy plan but criticised the authority for producing a report with inaccurate figures and for pushing plans through too quickly.

He said: “MCP does not want the quick fix that the council seem to be proposing via an accelerated commissioning process that may not review all of the information available and or consult with existing stakeholders.”

But Mr Stuart pledged the MCP’s commitment to working with the council “to ensure that future services for carers will become better and that our success in this area is acknowledged.”

Moray Council’s director of community services Sandy Riddell said: “The report is primarily asking for approval of a new strategy and an action plan to support the delivery of services.

“This strategy has been subject to widespread consultation with carers and takes into account what they have asked for.

“This is about carers, this is not a report about a particular service and I can’t justify waiting until MCP’s proposal of 2009 to put this into action.”