Mayor's U-turn on social care plans (From News Shopper)

Mayor's U-turn on social care plans

10:07am Wednesday 14th November 2007

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CONTROVERSIAL plans to stop support for hundreds of vulnerable people look set to be scrapped.

Earlier this year, Lewisham Mayor Sir Steve Bullock sparked outrage when he proposed cutting the number of elderly and disabled people who received council help.

He recommended raising the eligibility threshold - leaving many previously entitled to support without it.

But he has revealed to News Shopper he will be dropping the cost-cutting proposal and admitted it would have seriously affected many people's quality of life.

He said: "This has been the most controversial issue of the past year.

"Having listened to lots of people who are concerned about it and read what's in the consultation document, the conclusion I've come to is it simply would not be acceptable for the council to be saying to this group of people they should no longer be eligible.

"Their needs are very real and serious."

Sir Steve is to recommend to councillors the criteria should not be changed and the budget for cash-strapped adult social care be increased by £3.8m.

However, this is likely to put pressure on Lewisham Council, which is trying to make savings of around £15m in total.

To cover costs, Sir Steve is to suggest raising council tax by up to 2.5 per cent, services cuts and making the council "more efficient".

Some adult care costs might increase to make a saving of £200,000.

The mayor said those who could afford to contribute a "little bit more" to their care may be asked to do so.

Redundancies reaching "double figures" are also on the cards for staff across the authority, mainly affecting management posts rather than "frontline posts".

Some of those scrapped may be vacant ones.

Areas such as trading standards are expected to be affected, but youth services and community safety are not to be touched.

Car parking charges might also go up and rubbish collection crews are likely to drop from 19 to 18.

But the Mayor ruled out piloting a "pay-as-you-throw" household rubbish scheme to raise cash.

He said: "I don't like that idea at all."

The package of saving proposals will go before the Mayor and Cabinet in early December.

They will be discussed before the budget is agreed in March.

Plans to change eligibility were initially introduced to stop adult social care overspending its budget.

However, following a consultation which finished a couple of weeks ago, Sir Steve said it should be given extra cash.

He said: "We aren't spending enough on adult social care."

Lewisham Green Party leader Darren Johnson welcomed the move and said the Government needs to provide more cash for vulnerable adults.

He said: "Changing the eligibility criteria would have hit many vulnerable people in the borough.

"I am really pleased the Mayor appears to be listening and is prepared to drop these proposed cuts.

"That's very good news. This is a big step forward from where we were."

Sir Steve admitted council services would be hit by the plans.

He said: "You can't take £10m out of the budget and not have some effect on services."

Previous U-turns by Sir Steve include two over plans to use the Ladywell Leisure Centre site for a new secondary school.

In July last year, he decided to re-examine alternative sites for the school after pressure from campaigners, and in November, he agreed to build the school on the site of Lewisham Bridge Primary School.

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