‘Raise council tax to improve elderly care’
Following a period of consultation, Powys County Council Cabinet member for adult services, Stephen Hayes, says he is ready to propose that more money is invested in care, with the bill ultimately picked up by the tax payer.
He is advising that changes to day-time activities for older people and day centres need careful consideration before any action is taken and will present his findings to cabinet on December 20.
Cllr Hayes said: “It’s clear from the consultation, that day centres are highly valued and play a particularly important role in terms of respite for carers. We also need to demonstrate that a new service really will meet needs before day centre closures begin.
“I will therefore be recommending to Cabinet that extra money is made available in 2017/18 to allow day centre activity to continue in existing localities while an early intervention service is trialled and evaluated.
“We have already begun work to confirm that home support works and is cost effective. We are working with PAVO with a view to expanding their befriending service throughout the county, together with a community health and wellbeing coordinator model which would see well-being co-ordinators in all our main towns.
“While this work is carried out we will continue to talk to town and community councils who have shown an interest in partnership arrangements for funding or management of day services,” he added.
“Clearly the course of action I’m recommending requires council to commit sufficient money in the budget and this will involve a significant increase in council tax. If councillors are not willing to do this the day centres will close.”
The meeting will be webcast live from County Hall from 9.30am through www.powys.gov.uk on an internet device with Flash or Silverlight software installed. The webcast will also be made available in the webcast archive afterwards.
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