Oxfordshire care services get welcome boost following windfall

Oxfordshire County Council has been given a £4m windfall from central government and it intends to use some of the funds to support vital social care functions.

The money has come from a better-than-expected government grant and an improved forecast in collecting business rates.

£800K will go towards ending a 15-minute limit for personal care visits, while £100K will be reinstated into the budget for respite breaks for carers of adults with special educational needs.

A further £700K will reverse savings made in services for adults with learning disabilities.

Council leader, Ian Hudspeth, said: “The proposal is to put this extra money in to areas we see as priorities.

“It’s welcome that we’re able to put more money in to budgets, but we’re still having to save a huge amount of money before 2018.”

A final decision on the county council’s budget will be made next week.