Conservatives yesterday blocked a joint Independent/ Labour Amendment during the Budget debate at full council which proposed to slash spending on Care Packages to some of Buckinghamshire most vulnerable residents. The motion, moved by the Leader of the Labour and Independent ‘Alliance’ group, Stuart Wilson, sought to replace currently budgeted saving efficiencies in Day Care with cuts to budgets that include Care Packages to elderly and working age adults with physical or mental health needs. The cuts would also have impacted legally required sexual and drug support services to young people.
Martin Tett, Leader of the Conservative Group at Buckinghamshire Council said:
“This amendment was horrendous. It pedalled the myth that decisions on balancing the budget were easy and that difficult decisions could be put off endlessly. This is exactly why Lib Dem and Labour councils up and down the country are in serious financial trouble and many of them pushing for massive increases in Council Tax”.
Angela Macpherson, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing added:
“To be absolutely clear, no decision has been made on the Day Care. We have conducted a long extensive consultation and the Cabinet will be considering all of the responses. I hope that we can find a good solution that both continues care support and delivers the essential savings needed to balance a very difficult budget. However, just trying to ‘kick the difficult decisions down the road’ or substitute savings at the expensive of the most vulnerable is just not responsible or honest. This was a disgraceful amendment and the supporters of it across the Labour, Independent and Labour groups should hang their heads in shame”.
