THURROCK COUNCIL has been landed with a care bill for a person with special needs who doesn’t even live in the borough.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has a specially adapted home in Upminster.
However, his parents live in Bulphan.
YT understands that Thurrock Council has been fighting a battle for years against paying the huge care fees associated with the mans special needs.
But now the government has stepped in and a decision has been made by the secretary of state that it is Thurrock and not Havering that must pick up the bill
A spokesperson for Thurrock Council said:
“The young man was looked after by Thurrock’s children’s services for many years, but when he became an adult his family moved him to Havering to live with his grandparents.
In Thurrock’s view his care needs then became the responsibility of Havering as it was the family’s decision, not the council’s.
This went to the Secretary of State for adjudication and he ruled in Havering’s favour – arguing that as the young man lacked capacity, his true residency remained in Thurrock where his parents lived.
District of residency rules are never clear cut and the council is waiting on some further current test cases before deciding any next steps.”
If only the council could have done somethng like have joint working agreements with the neighbouring borough of Havering but how do councils go about setting up such things. What do they need to take account of. It would make sense working with our neighbours and surely political allegiances would be the last thing that would block such a partnership.