Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Wealth tax will lead to real action on “incentivising energy efficiency” say Greens [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Green Party on 18 October 2022.

The Green Party has repeated its call for a wealth tax in response to chancellor Jeremy Hunt saying that the government will “better incentivise energy efficiency” in his statement yesterday [1]. Co-leader Adrian Ramsay said that such a tax could ensure real action on efficiency savings by raising the funds for a national programme of home insulation.

Ramsay said:

“With the chancellor calling for spending cuts, it looks like ‘incentivising energy efficiency’ will amount to little more than public information campaigns or asking citizens to reduce energy consumption. We need real action to help people cut their energy use. A national programme of home insulation could shave thousands of pounds off energy bills while cutting emissions.

“A modest tax on the wealthiest 1% of households could raise in the region of £70bn [2], which could contribute significantly to creating warmer, more comfortable homes and bringing bills down for good.

“A more progressive tax system is also the fairest way to avoid another round of damaging austerity and will help to genuinely level up the economy, since it would be paid by the very richest who are generally in more affluent areas and be redistributed across the country.

“Never has the case for a wealth tax been stronger. It would help reverse years of damage caused to both society and the climate by successive Tory governments.”

October 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : “This chaos has to end”: Greens call for general election after Chancellor signals more austerity [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Green Party on 17 October 2022.

Responding to the emergency statement from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt this morning [1], Green Party co–leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“The Chancellor’s emergency statement today is yet another symbol of the country’s economic and political instability caused by the recklessness of a Conservative government with no regard for the needs of ordinary people or the environment.

“As well as completely ripping up what was left of the Prime Minister’s credibility, what the Chancellor has signalled today is more austerity.

“That means more cuts to vital public services and more suffering by everyday people who did not vote for and do not want the dangerous ideologically-driven policies the Conservatives brought forward and are now desperately scrambling to overturn.

“The government can no longer govern – this chaos has to end. We cannot continue to lurch from crisis to crisis, while people are left struggling to get by and the natural world around us is destroyed.

“We need a general election now so people can vote for the policies they want to see to turn this mess around.

“The Green Party would do exactly the opposite of Truss’ reckless economic policies, which were designed to make the rich richer and would have driven up inequality. We are not afraid to say that the very richest should pay more to ensure we have the public services we need for a successful economy and society.

“For example, a wealth tax on the richest 1% could help fund a huge insulation and renewables programme that would help reduce rampant inequality, keep bills down for good and tackle the climate emergency.”

October 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Have your say on tax and spending plans for Norfolk County Council [October 2022]

The press release issued by Norfolk County Council on 21 October 2022.

People can have their say on the county council’s Council Tax and spending proposals, until 16 December 2022.

Norfolk County Council wants to hear people’s views on the level of general Council Tax, plus the adult social care precept, for 2023-24.

You can have your say at www.norfolk.gov.uk/budget and paper copies of the consultation can be requested via email at haveyoursay@norfolk.gov.uk

Councillor Andrew Jamieson, cabinet member for finance, said: “We all know the cost of living is rising sharply and that has made our efforts to bridge the £60 million gap much more challenging.

“That’s why I’m so keen to hear people’s views on our Council Tax and key savings proposals.”

The council is consulting on:

A proposed total increase of 2.99 per cent – 1.99 per cent for general Council Tax and one per cent for the adult social care precept – in line with the current budget planning and the expected level which will be set by the Government.
People’s view on a rise of 4.10 per cent, as the council has set in previous years, and 10.1 per cent – in line with inflation – which would require a referendum.
The other savings proposals the council is consulting on include:

Reducing the opening hours of the Norfolk Record Office (NRO) from 28 hours a week to 22.5 hours a week.
Reducing weed spraying activities on the highway from twice a year to once a year.
Reducing summer opening hours at Norfolk’s recycling centres and closing all recycling centres on Wednesdays.
The consultation will run from 21 October 2022 to 16 December. Findings will be considered by the cabinet on 30 January, before the full council finalises the budget on 21 February, 2023.

October 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Leading the country’s way forward with Adult Social Care in Dorset [October 2022]

The press release issued by Dorset Council on 21 October 2022.

Examining how Dorset Council residents access adult social care could inform national changes to how care is provided, due to a unique partnership with the government.

The council was selected out of 15 local authorities which bid to work with the Department of Health and Social Care. The partnership with look at how residents currently get referred into the adult social care and how their experience could be improved.

What is discovered could be used to change the way people access social care in the future and create new ways of working for older people, people with a learning disability or mental health needs, across the country’s 151 local authorities. This could be in the form of better access via the internet to tweaking how assessments and reviews happen.

A team from the government department’s Digital Policy Unit will be working with the adult social care and digital teams until the New Year. The team will make recommendations at the end of the 12-week partnership.

As part of the fact-finding partnership, which includes asking questions of those who use the service, new models will be suggested and tested in a bid to find a solution for residents and the council.

The work is part of government charging reforms programme revealed in the People at the Heart of Care which, from October 2023, changes how much residents will pay towards their care and will introduce a cap on care charges.

As a result, how residents interact with local authorities will fundamentally change. All solutions are being considered which will allow each resident to track qualifying spend on care provision for adults aged over 18 years and hold this information in an individual care account.

Councillor Peter Wharf, cabinet member for Adult Social Care and Health, said innovative solutions were needed for residents now and in the future.

He said: “Dorset Council is leading the country’s response to the very difficult issue of adult social care.

“We are at the forefront of this early work around what, and how, changes can be made to the way people interact with council to get the best option for adult social care, for them.

“More solutions to adult social care are being found online independently by residents and families, and this could mean the resources at the council can be directed to residents who need it the most.

“This partnership is great for an ambitious council committed to embracing technology and smart ways of working which meet the aspirations for residents to be at the heart of their own care provision. We should be proud to be making this contribution for the benefit of residents and all local authorities.”

A Department of Health and Social Care team member, said: “After weeks of planning, we have launched our informal DHSC and Dorset Council adult social care partnership.

“Our aspiration is to go a bit beyond the limits of the traditional discovery. We would like to co-design a model that could be re-used across multiple local authorities. Perhaps, even applied to solve an important business problem.”

Dorset Council’s population has the highest percentage of over 65s and over 85s in the country, which creates huge challenges and pressure on resources. More than 40 per cent of the council’s total budget was spent on Adults Social Care in the 2022/23 financial year and is estimated to increase seven per cent each year.

October 22, 2022

PRESS RELEASE : Kent County Council to increase payments to those hosting Ukrainian guests [October 2022]

The press release issued by Kent County Council on 20 October 2022.

People hosting Ukrainians as part of the Kent County Council (KCC) Homes for Ukraine Scheme are set to receive more money every month as part of a county-wide increase.

The Government continues to set host payments at £350 per accommodation, but KCC has decided to increase this to recognise not only the generosity and kindness of Kent hosts, but also the challenges they currently face from increasing costs in energy, the price of food and rising inflation.

KCC has taken the decision to increase the payments after fears many people wouldn’t be able to afford to extend their current six-month agreements as winter approaches and the cost-of-living bites.

The increased payments will begin at the end of October and will continue until March 2023, when the current Government scheme ends. This applies to existing hosts who are already in receipt of thank you payments, and new hosts who complete all the checks satisfactorily going forward. There is also a separate hardship fund available to those who may need extra financial support in order to continue to provide accommodation for Ukrainian guests.

For those hosts who have supported their guests for more than 6 months, the council will also pay an additional £500 in March 2023 in recognition of their continued support during these difficult times.

So far 3871 people have been matched with 1642 hosts in Kent, which is more than any other county in the UK. 2927 Ukrainian guests have already arrived and a further 944 are still expected, with approximately 2-3 new arrivals every day.

Leader of Kent County Council, Roger Gough, said “The response from Kent residents to the plight of the Ukrainian people fleeing their homes has been incredible. I feel that increasing the monthly payment to hosts is only right and fair, given the huge part they have played in this humanitarian effort.

“I hope that this extra payment to people who have so generously opened their homes to Ukrainian guests will give some reassurance in these financially challenging times.

“I know that many of our hosts want to be able to continue to support their guests beyond the initial 6 months of the scheme but are finding it difficult to do so considering the cost-of-living pressures. I hope that this move will not only reassure current hosts, but also encourage more people in the county to sign up to the scheme. More Ukrainian guests are arriving every day, and more homes are desperately needed.

“Unfortunately, we do not have enough new hosts to cope with the ongoing demand. We are increasing payments to thank people, to recognise the increased cost of living, to encourage more hosts to come forward but also to incentivise people to return to hosting, if they stopped because of financial hardship or concerns about increased household costs in the months ahead.”

Many of Kent’s hosts are providing homes for more than one person, to support these households KCC is proposing to increase payments for everyone hosting but the amount people will receive will increase based on the number of guests they are hosting.

KCC’s Homes for Ukraine scheme already takes into consideration increases based on household size. This means if you host more people, you get more money.

The below table shows the new increase in the monthly ‘thank you’ payment amounts based on the number of guests accommodated.

Household size	New monthly thank you payment
1 person	£50 extra per month
2 people	£150 extra per month
3 people	£250 extra per month
4 people	£350 extra per month
5 people	£450 extra per month
6 people	£550 extra per month
7 + people	£650 extra per month

KCC’s Homes for Ukraine support workers will continue to carry out visits throughout the winter months to ensure that all is well between hosts and their guests. We are constantly in touch with all hosts and are encouraging them to flag up any concerns that they have or additional support that they might need during this time.

October 22, 2022

PRESS RELEASE : Reports that social care charging reforms will be delayed – CCN response [October 2022]

The press release issued by the County Councils Network on 19 October 2022.

This morning, the County Councils Network (CCN) has responded to reports in the Times that the government is considering delaying charging reforms to adult social care in England, including the introduction of a £86,000 cap on care and a more generous means-test.
Two weeks ago, CCN called for a 12 month delay to flagship social care reforms, which were due to be implemented in October 2023, warning services face a ‘perfect storm’ of financial and workforce pressures over the next 18 months.

Whilst county leaders welcome reports that the government is considering a delay, they warn that the funding committed next year must be retained by councils and reprioritised, not used as a saving as part of the government Medium-Term Fiscal Plan. This would help tackle the £3.7bn additional inflationary and demand costs already hitting services this year and next.

Cllr Martin Tett, County Councils Network Spokesperson for Adult Social Care said:

“The County Councils Network has led calls for the proposed reforms in adult social care to be delayed by a year and we welcome reports that the government is actively considering this.

“With local authorities facing severe workforce and inflation-fuelled financial pressures, they would be impossible to implement in the timescales without making services worse and leading to longer waits for a care package for people on day one of their introduction.

“But while the implementation of the reforms should be delayed, the funding committed next year must be retained by councils and reprioritised, not used as a saving as part of the government Medium-Term Fiscal Plan. This would help tackle the £3.7bn additional inflationary and demand costs which are impacting services this year and next. A delay to implementation will do little for care services if the government does not reprioritise earmarked funding for existing services while also delivering their promise to rebalance funding between health and care. Failure to do so will mean we will be back to square one in 12 months’ time.”

“We understand that today’s reports may come as a disappointment to those who have urged for reform to social care for years, but we cannot run the risk of them falling at the first hurdle. Councils need time to plan and prepare, expand our workforce, and ensure that the new financial burdens facing care services are properly costed.”

CCN’s calls for a delay to the reforms were featured across the national media including coverage on BBC News, the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme’s bulletins, in The Daily Mail, and in The Independent.

October 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Councils call for wholescale review of planning reforms, alongside new powers in transport and net zero [October 2022]
The press release issued by the County Councils Network on 19 October 2022.

A wholescale review of the planning reforms is needed if the government is to achieve its targets in housebuilding and economic growth, England’s largest councils say.

The County Councils Network (CCN) argues that strategic planning should be a major part of future proposals, likely to be put forward in a forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill. This mechanism could be vital in delivering more homes, better infrastructure, and investment zones, county leaders argue.

The call is made in a CCN’s latest chapter of its Five Point Plan for County and Unitary Councils, which is released today.

Alongside advocacy on housing and infrastructure, the report calls for counties to be empowered through bespoke budgets in transport. The report also calls on government to move away from an overly city-focused approach on net zero, and provide county areas with an equitable share of climate change funding and policy focus.

Text of Report (in .pdf format)

CCN says that the current planning system is too fragmented, and for years infrastructure has not kept pace with development, leading to overcrowding on roads and public services in some parts of the country.

If the government wants to deliver on its twin aims of housebuilding and growth, then strategic planning is a ‘win-win’. It would ensure that county councils, which are responsible for transport, infrastructure, and the delivery of investment zones work more collaboratively with district councils in their areas, which are responsible for housing and planning.

By better joining up the system and empowering county councils by giving them a statutory role in the planning system could help local authorities ‘zoom out’ and pinpoint the best location for new homes across England’s counties, as well as ensuring that new major new development is backed by the right infrastructure – such as new roads, schools, and health centres.

Strategic planning could also help pave the way for investment zones by ensuring that they are well connected and supported by the right infrastructure, meaning they are more likely to be welcomed by local areas and delivered.

Currently, reforms to the planning system are currently included in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, but CCN says they should be removed from that bill and reshaped proposals included in the recently announced Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

If that bill comes forward, CCN says it should include a power in the bill to introduce strategic planning in county areas, where desired.

Strategic planning has not been a formal part of the planning system since the late 2010s, and currently the only informal tool to encourage those councils to work together is the ‘Duty to Co-operate’ – which the previous government was looking to scrap, meaning there would be no mechanism to encourage local councils to work together.

Today’s report includes the following recommendations:
- The government should review strategic planning arrangements and introduce new powers to empower counties through strategic planning any forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill, where desired. This would give parity to county areas and would see effective cross-boundary working to deliver strategic infrastructure and unlock growth.
- When the government puts forward reforms to the developer contributions system – which could include the previously proposed Infrastructure Levy – it should ensure that county councils should have a statutory duty in the contributions systems, working with district and borough to set rates and negotiate contributions, enabling more of this funding to be spent on vital infrastructure
- Any future capital funding for infrastructure projects should be amalgamated into a single pot, rather than local authorities bidding on individual pots.
- Government must move away from an overly city-focused approach to climate change, and ensure that county areas receive a fair share of funding and policy focus. As part of this, the £1.6bn for electric vehicle infrastructure must be targeted largely at improving the situation in county areas, where there is only one publicly-available charger for every 16 miles on average.
Cllr Roger Gough, Planning and Infrastructure Spokesperson for the County Councils Network said:

“We welcome the prospect of the government bringing forward new proposals to reform the planning system in a forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Over a number of years there has been far too much focus on headline housebuilding numbers, rather than on planning as a whole, and on the infrastructure that is needed to make developments viable in the long-term.

“The new bill should contain a power to re-introduce strategic planning into the system, which would be a win-win for a government looking to build more homes and generate economic growth. By giving county councils a renewed role to work collaboratively with district councils in their area, we can come together to plan for houses in the right areas, backed by the necessary infrastructure, and ensure that investment zones get off the ground quickly.

“The County Councils Network has long argued for a collaborative model of strategic planning and form reforms to the developer contributions system. Taken together, these easily implementable reforms could yield significant results in creating better communities and unlocking development.”
October 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : County Leaders welcome reports that the government is considering delaying new reforms [October 2022]

The press release issued by Devon County Council on 21 October 2022.

Even just a few days are a long time in Politics it seems, so we’re watching this space closely, but earlier this week we heard that the Government is considering delaying the introduction of its new social care reforms.

On the face of it, we think that’s a good thing. We agree with the reforms – they’re to enable more people to receive financial support for adult social care, which is good – but it is the Government’s duty to ensure they are fully costed and adequately funded.

If Government doesn’t it will mean councils will have to find millions of pounds of money from cuts in public services to pay for the reforms. We and lots of councils are concerned that the impact of introducing the Government’s reforms without adequate funding will therefore be very heavy on residents and communities.

All this comes on top of already severe pressure on social care. Here in Devon we are taking urgent action to bring an overspend in adult social care of £5.6 million in this financial year under control, and face a forecast overspend of between £30 million to £40 million over the next 10 years. Inflation is adding to those pressures and forecast to add £3.6 billion to the cost of providing social care in England’s counties next year.

That’s why we’ve been backing a call from the County Councils Network for the Government to postpone the introduction of these new reforms, which are due to come in next October.

Right now, councils do not have enough money, nor is there sufficient workforce capacity within social care, to implement the changes that the reforms will bring.

On seeing reports that the Government is now thinking of delaying the introduction of the reforms, County leaders across the country this week welcomed the news, but warned that the funding, promised by Government for social care, must be retained by councils and reprioritised, and not used as ‘savings’ as part of the Government’s Medium-Term Fiscal Plan.

Councillor James McInnes, our Cabinet Member with responsibility for adult social care, said today:

“With all that’s happening at Westminster, we’ll have to see what comes out of it, but if reports that the government is considering delaying the introduction of these reforms become fact, then that’s good news.

“The consequence otherwise is that the extra pressures that the reforms will bring, on a social care system right now that is not properly funded and that does not have sufficient workforce capacity to meet demand, could worsen current services, leaving people waiting longer for care and impacting on the quality of that care.

“Even looking ahead to twelve months-time, it’s difficult to see what will have changed significantly in terms of workforce supply and local government finances that would make these reforms deliverable without fundamental changes to the Government’s plans.”

October 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Sir Chris Whitty among senior figures appointed to Active Travel England advisory panel [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 22 October 2022.

England’s Chief Medical Officer, Sir Chris Whitty, is one of 4 senior figures to become part of a new advisory panel, Active Travel England, today (22 October 2022).

Working alongside West Midlands’ Mayor, Andy Street, Chair of the Office of Rail and Road, Declan Collier and Arup’s Global Transport Leader, Isabel Dedring, Whitty will support Active Travel England’s aim to make walking, wheeling and cycling the first choice for everyday trips.

National Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman, said:

Active travel is a key part of achieving so many of the government’s top priorities, so we want to link up with those agendas from the very start. Providing low-cost, healthy travel options to get to schools, shops and workplaces will revitalise high streets across the country and help us decarbonise at the same time. Active Travel England was created to deliver healthy, sustainable transport growth, and I’m delighted we now have such incredible experts to help us get the job done.

Active Travel Minister, Baroness Vere, added:

This new advisory panel will be key to supporting the government’s ambition to get more people walking, wheeling and cycling by transforming active travel infrastructure across the country.

Better infrastructure will not only improve connections to employment, education and local services but improve our mental and physical wellbeing and help to level up the country. I look forward to working with Sir Chris, Andy, Declan and Isabel to achieve this.

The advisory panel will meet quarterly with a mix of online and in-person meetings. The appointments have been made on a voluntary basis, with expenses paid where applicable. The first meeting with take place in late October.

England’s Chief Medical Officer, Sir Chris Whitty, said:

Exercise improves health and Active Travel England’s mission is shared by the health service. We all want to see more people incorporating active travel into their day as a way to keep mentally and physically fit.

Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, added:

Active Travel England will be best placed to succeed as a delivery agency if it closely collaborates with local Mayors as well as both Combined and Local Authorities. That’s why I’m looking forward to helping ensure that ATE can make a real and rapid difference across England. Enabling more local trips to be taken on foot or on wheels can improve the journey experience, encourage a healthier lifestyle and help us to tackle the climate emergency. Increasing walking and cycling uptake is central to our vision to establish a truly integrated transport network here in the West Midlands and can support local economic growth by breathing new life into our high streets.

Arup’s Global Transport Leader and former Deputy Mayor of London, Isabel Dedring, said:

Delivering a step change in active travel requires focus and determination, but it also requires attention to detail, meaningful engagement with communities and their real needs, and integration with the wider transport network. The UK is seen as a leader in many aspects of progressive transport policy and has a fantastic chance through Active Travel England to retain its position as a leader in this rapidly developing area.

Chair of the Office of Rail and Road, Declan Collier, said:

Making local trips, either on foot or on two wheels, is a great way to boost physical health and also mental wellbeing. For those wanting to do their walking or cycling further afield, England’s rail and road networks will get you there. I look forward to getting started and working together with the other panel members to bring about positive change in people’s lives.

October 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Cost of Living Summit – Cornwall unites to turn words into action [October 2022]
The press release issued by Cornwall Council on 15 October 2022.

Organisations across Cornwall are turning words into action following the Cost of Living Summit hosted by Cornwall Council last month.

Seven working groups have been set up with each responsible for effecting real change for people who are struggling to make ends meet during the current crisis.

They will be led by the likes of Cornwall Council, Citizens Advice, the local NHS, the voluntary sector and Cornwall business groups.

Actions to be taken by each group, which were agreed at a meeting of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Leadership Board on September 30, include:

Our community response:
- Support the delivery of community hubs offering winter support across Cornwall. Led by Volunteer Cornwall, this is already underway.
- Review funding for the voluntary sector to focus on more long-term sustainable funding.
Maximising people’s income:
- Develop our understanding of the barriers and issues within the welfare system that specifically affect Cornwall and work with partners to alleviate those.
- Explore options to run a basic income pilot scheme across Cornwall, using evidence from other areas.
Preventing and reducing people’s debt:
- Support the use of the Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT) to identify residents who may be eligible for additional welfare benefits and support them to claim their entitlement.
- Review debt collection practices (e.g. council tax, NHS prescriptions fees, bank charges and loans from financial institutions) to help prevent and reduce people’s debt.
Energy efficiency and fuel poverty:
- Support bids for new capital investment into Cornwall’s housing stock to reduce carbon and improve energy efficiency of homes (all tenures) and build on existing practice.
- Support Cornwall Council Public Health’s role to co-ordinate Winter Wellbeing activities to ensure Cornwall’s residents and organisations are aware of current help and initiatives.
Support housing security:
- Work with Registered Providers to understand the potential to suspend evictions (as during the pandemic) for rent arrears.
- Consider a rent cap on social housing rental increases in April.
Access to food:
- Create a Cornwall Food Strategy, and Food Security approach using learning from the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact approach.
- Identify land and support communities with an ambition to establish growing schemes.
Communications:
- Campaign to reduce the number of people with unclaimed benefits, help with anxiety caused by money worries, and encourage residents to ask for help before they get into debt, among other aims.
The summit, called Turning the Tide on the Cost of Living, took place at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus on September 5.

It saw the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Leadership Board meet with representatives from local communities, charities and businesses to share experiences and discuss how best to help people navigate the crisis.

Participants included Cornwall Independent Poverty Forum, Citizen’s Advice Cornwall, Voluntary Sector Forum, Volunteer Cornwall, Disability Cornwall, End Hunger Cornwall, Department of Work and Pensions, Kernow Credit Union, Cornwall Council, NHS and Independent Food Aid Network/Trussell Trust.

Linda Taylor, Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Leadership Board, said:

“At the summit we listened and talked, and now we are turning those words into action with the formation of seven workstreams, each with concrete plans and goals.

“The cost of living crisis continues to take its toll on our residents and only by working together to pool resources, share learnings and plan ahead can we offer them the best and most robust support, both in the short and long term.

“The workstreams will feed into an overarching strategic group and I look forward to hearing about their progress in the coming weeks and months. I am sure each will play an important role in making a real difference to people’s lives.”
October 22, 2022