Care Charges Call-In Upheld

12.34.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 18th Apr 2008

Following the decision by the Healthier Communities and Older People Overview and Scrutiny panel to uphold the call-in on charging for Care Services, Liberal Democrat Councillors are urging the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services and Housing to rethink his original decision.

Councillor Loraine Brinkhurst (Newbridge), who led the call-in said, "The Cabinet member's insistence on focusing solely on the numbers on his spreadsheets, rather than the impact these increases will have on older people, led to this call-in. I felt it was a very constructive meeting, which gave service-users a chance to raise their concerns in public, and I am pleased with the result. The panel has put forward a constructive alternative over several months and this was endorsed during the call-in yesterday.

"The ball in now in the Cabinet member's court and I urge him to take note of the strength of feeling against these charges."

Councillor Cherry Beath (Combe Down) added, "At the conclusion of yesterday's meeting, I also urged the Cabinet member to take on board the Panel's recommendations and individual comments, despite his previous remarks, both in the media and during the meeting, that this call-in process would not cause him to alter his decision.

"The call-in has proved the validity of the Council's call-in process which is a democratic plank of the Council's constitution and it has enabled us to have a robust and meaningful discussion."

Councillor Will Sandry (Oldfield) added, "The Cabinet member's answers did not convince me that he had fully taken on board the comments made during the earlier process of consultation with the public and members of the O&S panel.

"I examined closely the responses to the public consultation, which revealed very significant opposition to the charges and I was surprised at the Cabinet member's admission that he had not read all the responses personally. Members of the O&S panel also expressed their opposition to these charges on several occasions over the last few months. What is the point of consultation if no notice is taken of the responses?"

The Conservative Cabinet Member now has 10 days to reconsider his decision. When he announces his decision, he must show that he has taken into account the points agreed by the call-in. He is under no obligation to change his decision, despite the clear opposition to these changes.