Agenda item

Motion by Councillor Mrs J E Killey

It was moved and seconded as follows:

In his first speech as Prime Minister in August 2019 Boris Johnson made clear his intention to reform Adult Social Care Services. He said

‘My job is to protect you or your parents or your grandparents from the fear of having to sell your home to pay for the costs of care. And so, I am announcing now – on the steps of Downing Street – that we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all, and with a clear plan we have prepared to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve’.

On 11 May 2021 there was a single line in the Queens Speech which read ‘Proposals on reforms to social care will be brought forward’.  But, it should be noted, similar words were used in the 2019 Queens Speech. As Councillor Wendy Bowkett remarked recently to the local media

            "We've heard strong messages from the Prime Minister indicating the desire       to have a long term plan for social care and provide a sustainable method     for future funding, which is good news. However, it's disappointing that the             Queen's Speech only hints at some future plan sometime in the future and             there is no detail on what that will    look like. After many years of austerity         in social care coupled with short term funding 'fixes', there really does need         to be some certainty and confidence behind much needed reforms.

Bearing that argument in mind, the time has come for this council on behalf of the people of Lincolnshire to press the government to bring forward as a matter of urgency a set of proposals to reform Social Care services with a clear timeline for implementation.  It should be made clear that such proposals need to be based on a fair and long-term sustainable funding model. Not only that, but we should also take the opportunity to make clear to government those reforms that we think would be of benefit to our residents, families, service providers and staff.

Accordingly, I move that 

This council calls on the Leader of the County Council to write without delay to the Prime Minister pressing him

1.      to bring forward before this year's Summer Parliamentary Recess,  proposals for a fair and long term sustainable funding model  for the delivery and funding of Social Care services which allows people to live the lives they want to lead;

2.      to take account in such proposals of the following points of view

·         the Dilnot Report’s 7 key recommendations on how to deliver a fair, affordable and sustainable funding model should be re-visited given that at different times it has had support from all major political parties;

·         the fulfilment of the pledge in the Conservative Party Manifesto at the 2019 election to seek a cross-party consensus before bringing forward proposals;

·         the importance of the need for greater integration and collaboration of health and social care services;

·         the need for more accessible preventative services;

·         the importance of maximising independence including giving greater emphasis to the use of digital technology to help people stay connected;

·         the need for greater availability of specialist housing;

·         the particular challenge of delivering services in rural areas;

·         much greater recognition of the importance of the social care workforce so as to attract and retain workers with clear opportunities for career progression with recognised qualifications and registration of managers.

An amendment was moved and seconded as follows:

This council calls on the Leader of the County Council to write without delay to the Prime Minister pressing asking him

1.      to bring forward before this year's Summer Parliamentary Recess,  proposals for a fair and long term sustainable funding model  for the delivery and funding of Social Care services which allows people to live the lives they want to lead;

2.      to take account in such proposals of the following points of view

·         the Dilnot Report’s 7 key recommendations on how to deliver a fair, affordable and sustainable funding model should be re-visited given that at different times it has had support from all major political parties;

·         the fulfilment of the pledge in the Conservative Party Manifesto at the 2019 election to seek a cross-party consensus before bringing forward proposals;

·         the importance of the need for greater integration and collaboration of health and social care services;

·         the need for more accessible preventative services;

·         the importance of maximising independence including giving greater emphasis to the use of digital technology to help people stay connected;

·         the need for greater availability of specialist housing;

·         the particular challenge of delivering services in rural areas;

·         muchto continue the greater recognition of the importance of the social care workforce so as to attract and retain workers with clear opportunities for career progression with recognised qualifications and registration of managers.

Upon being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

This then became the substantive motion, and upon being put to the vote was carried.

RESOLVED

This council calls on the Leader of the County Council to write without delay to the Prime Minister asking him

1.      to bring forward proposals for a fair and long term sustainable funding model  for the delivery and funding of Social Care services which allows people to live the lives they want to lead;

2.      to take account in such proposals of the following points of view

·         the fulfilment of the pledge in the Conservative Party Manifesto at the 2019 election to seek a cross-party consensus before bringing forward proposals;

·         the importance of the need for greater integration and collaboration of health and social care services;

·         the need for more accessible preventative services;

·         the importance of maximising independence including giving greater emphasis to the use of digital technology to help people stay connected;

·         the need for greater availability of specialist housing;

·         the particular challenge of delivering services in rural areas;

·         to continue the greater recognition of the importance of the social care workforce so as to attract and retain workers with clear opportunities for career progression with recognised qualifications and registration of managers.