THURROCK Council’s budget – despite involving reductions in spending – has provided extra support for the borough’s most vulnerable, at both ends of the age spectrum.
Cllr John Kent, Leader of the Council, speaking at Wednesday (27 February) evening’s budget-setting meeting of council, said: “We too often, overlook the contribution that our older residents can make to our community.
“We are committed to doing what we can to help our senior citizens lead as full and active a life as possible through our ‘Building Positive Futures’ initiative.
“We must see living longer as a good and positive thing, while acknowledging that a growing and ageing population does put pressures on those services we provide.
“This budget recognises the need to properly fund those pressures by increasing the funding by £600,000.”
He added: “And it’s not just older people. Over the past year we have seen a huge increase in the demands on our Children’s social services. It is not a problem unique to Thurrock as, up and down the country, these services are being stretched.
“It is a sad reality of an ongoing economic downturn that as family budgets are squeezed beyond breaking point the family ends in crisis and it is our services that are there to pick up the pieces.
“It is essential these services – services that support the most vulnerable in our communities – are properly funded so, again, this budget will deliver the extra funding they need.”
This is an SOS from Comrade Kent and the rest of the Labour councillors. Save Our Salaries at the elections next year or they’ll have to get proper jobs. The taxpayer can dig deep again to fund his re-election campaign. His sanctimonious trash is truly gut wrenching.
Is the glourious leader sure about his facts “the huge demand on our Childrens social services is not a problem unique to Thurrock” Maybe not unique but Thurrock is definately bucking a trend here and I for one would like to know why?