OVER the three years Cllr Barbara Rice has overseen Adult Social care in Thurrock, she has seen the budget cut by £10 million – a quarter.
She explained the situation at Wednesday (10 June) evening’s meeting of the council’s cabinet, and speaking afterwards said: “Here in Thurrock we have agreed cross-party that one of our top five priorities as set out in the Community Strategy is to ‘Improve health and well-being among local people’.
“We’re doing our best, but ever-reducing resources – from £40 million to £30 million In three years – makes it increasingly difficult.
“When people think of council staff they imagine boring bureaucrats sitting at desks in the Civic Offices, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.
“Adult Social Care includes social workers, people who go out into the community providing help and support for some of our most vulnerable residents and it includes care workers who provide physical support for the frail and those in need.”
She added: “I’m a nurse, I’ve spent my working life caring for people and it is with great dismay I say that Adult Social Care faces further in-year cuts amounting to a further £½ million in this year and £830,000 in a full year.
“These include the removal of five social worker jobs, another review of our charges like blue badges and respite care, and others that are just as unpalatable.
“I cannot emphasise strongly enough that there are consequences to the ever-decreasing pot of money available to us,
“Our residents and especially those who receive Adult Social Care services will be badly and negatively affected by these swingeing cuts.
“And on top of the cuts we’ve planned for and anticipated, there will be more coming. The Chancellor last week promised us even more hurt for local councils and the public sector in general.”
