Council Admit: Care Is Rationed

The scale of the cash crisis faced by Wirral’s adult social services department was exposed at a full council meeting this week. Harsh realisations dawned upon councillors who admitted to “rationing resources” in order to cope with steep cuts.

But revelations of ever-growing demands, brought on by hundreds of people living longer, has plummeted funding to an all-time low sparking fresh fears for the borough’s future. And as the cash-strapped council is already forced to concentrate means on those with the most “critical and substantial” needs, the three political parties were united in their calls for more funding.

Last week, Conservative councillor Chris Blakeley launched a scathing attack against local Labour members who he accused of depriving millions of pounds from the elderly, vulnerable and the poor. He said that “savage cuts” of over £5m could be devastating to those who rely heavily on social care.

But when the full council met on Monday night, Labour councillor Moira McLaughlin, cabinet member for adult social services, hit back at Cllr Blakeley who she accused of “misunderstanding the facts” and “deliberately misleading people”.

Ignoring heckles from the Tories to resign, she said that the cuts will be made to spending and not services and will be supported by an increase in taxes and charges. She said: “Over £40m per year is raised through charges and we have no choice but to impose them on the people who can afford to pay.

“We are always lobbying for extra government grants and the Labour budget has invested £9m but we simply cannot peg charges indefinitely. If Cllr Blakeley thinks we can, then he is living in a parallel universe.”

The financial headache stems from Wirral’s higher than average older population and the trend is predicted to continue with an extra 2,500 people in the 65-plus age group by 2010, and a rise of 1,100 people in the 85-plus group.

Speaking before the meeting, Kevin Miller, director of adult social services, spoke of the challenges facing the department but said it is “good news” that people are living longer. “A demographic shift is actually something to celebrate although the spending review leaves no solace to meet the new pressures,” he said. “The biggest challenge will be how to embrace and support the growing number of older people when the system is under so much pressure.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Jean Quinn called for more money to be fed back into the provision, which has been “starved” of adequate funding for too long.

The parties voted unanimously to lobby the government and ensure that they take urgent action to financially support the needs of vulnerable people.