Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Greens call for prosecution of those most responsible for climate breakdown [October 2022]
The press release issued by the Green Party on 2 October 2022.
- Call for a legal process to prosecute those most responsible for the UK having failed to protect people and habitats from climate breakdown
- Liz Truss instructing King Charles not to attend COP27 “a shameful end to the UK’s tenure as COP president” – Carla Denyer
Green Party co-leader, Carla Denyer, has said Liz Truss instructing King Charles not to attend the COP27 climate negotiations in Egypt in November is ‘shameful’. The news comes as Green Party conference agreed a motion calling for the establishment of a legal process to prosecute those most responsible for the UK having failed to protect people and habitats from climate breakdown.

Denyer said:

“News that Liz Truss has instructed King Charles not to attend COP27 in November is a shameful end to the UK’s tenure as COP president. It is a sign of what many feared – we have a prime minister willing to dilute UK action on the most important global crisis we face, just at a time we need to step up our game.

“But more crucially, under the UK’s presidency, the COP process has failed to set the world on a path to keep global warming under 1.5 degrees. Today our conference agreed on the need for a legal process to prosecute those most responsible for the UK having failed to protect people and habitats from climate breakdown.”

The motion, passed on the final day of Green Party conference in Harrogate, also called on the Government, as outgoing president of the COP process, to make sure that COP27 takes place in a more transparent and inclusive way and that lower and middle-income countries are listened to in the negotiation and treated as equals.

Denyer continued:

“We need a process which delivers a robust science-based review of every country’s progress towards delivering on their agreed emissions targets and to be held accountable for their shortfalls, and for the losses and damage caused by their emissions.”
October 11, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Greens call for re-joining the EU “as soon as political situation is favourable” [October 2022]
The press release issued by the Green Party on 2 October 2022.
- “The country is paying a high price for Brexit, in economic, social and environmental terms. We should look to re-join the EU as soon as it is practicable to do so” – Molly Scott Cato, former Green MEP
- Call for speedy return to free movement and re-joining the customs union
The UK should make a speedy return to the free movement of people between the UK and the European Union and re-join the customs union, to lessen the problems resulting from Brexit, say the Green Party. Members at the Party’s conference in Harrogate also voted in favour of pursuing a policy to re-join the EU “as soon as the political situation is favourable and the right terms are available [1].”

Members backed continued participation in the Erasmus+ scheme, to ensure that “all young people, regardless of background and socio-economic status, continue to enjoy the opportunity to explore the continent they share with those from the 27 EU member states.”

Reacting to the motion on “Closer Alignment to the European Union”, former Green Party MEP Molly Scott Cato, who is also Vice Chair of the European Movement, said:

“The country is paying a high price for Brexit, in economic, social and environmental terms. Whilst the decision to leave the EU cannot be immediately reversed, it is clear, given the damage Brexit is inflicting on our country, that long term we should look to re-join as soon as it is practicable to do so.

“In the meantime, the worst problems resulting from Brexit would be eased by re-joining the customs union, signing up to a comprehensive agreement with the EU covering the protection of human, animal and plant life and reintroducing free movement of people between the UK and the EU.

“It is also clear that the best way to maintain high standards on workers’ rights, health and safety and environmental protection is to mirror the legislative rules governing the EU single market. The proposed Brexit Freedoms Bill is utterly horrific and has fired the starting-gun on a race to the bottom on environmental and social standards.

“It is particularly vital that young people, who overwhelmingly rejected Brexit, should not be penalised. They must be able to continue having opportunities to study, work and form relationships across the 27 EU member states. The continued participation in the Erasmus+ scheme will help enable this.

“Brexit has severely disrupted diplomatic relations with our EU neighbours and undermined the UK’s trustworthiness around the world. The readiness to breach international law and threaten the peace by tearing up the Northern Ireland protocol has reinforced this. If acted on, the motion agreed by Green Party members today will help rebuild trust within our country and with partner nations around the world.”
October 11, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Boost to multi-million-pound community support package revealed [October 2022]
The press release issued by Norfolk County Council on 4 October 2022.

Norfolk County Council has released details of the multi-million-pound support package that is available to communities through a wide range of initiatives. This is being boosted by the latest round of the Household Support Fund from the government, which is worth £6.7m, and is being bolstered by the county council with a further £1.2m, adding to the already significant investments planned for Norfolk communities.

The funding will enable the continuation of the excellent partnership work that has happened across the county date, including creation of 15 food hubs across the County through a pioneering collaboration with the community foundation. This has supported 12,000 people already, with other parts of the country seeking to learn from this best practice.

To date the cost-of-living support through the multi-million-pound package has helped over 128,000 households with £14.3m of funding. People can see which support they are eligible for and apply for help online at through the Norfolk Assistance Scheme (NAS).

Cllr Andrew Proctor, Leader of Norfolk County Council, said:

“We know that some of our residents face financial challenges this winter with the massive increase in the cost-of-living, particularly rising energy costs and food prices. This extended package of investment will help those most in need to access additional support over the winter months, including help with energy and water costs.

“The County Council has invested heavily over the last 12 months and is committed to the continuation of vital support to Norfolk Households this Winter, including adding £1.2m to the latest round of Household Support Funds in addition to wider, longer-term investment into our communities”

“Building on the strong partnerships established across Norfolk, we are working alongside the district councils, the voluntary sector, and schools to make sure we can reach those who need this support the most. It will also provide some much-needed help over the Christmas period.”

Recognising the need for local interventions and the role of voluntary and community organisations, the county council is providing Norfolk Community Foundation with £220,000 to provide grants of up to £2,000 towards the cost of running or establishing a Community Hot-Spot that gives a warm welcome to the whole community, in particular reaching those who are vulnerable or have been impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.

Claire Cullens, Chief Executive of the Norfolk Community Foundation, said:

“The funding Norfolk County Council is making available for communities via the Norfolk Community Foundation is critical and much welcomed.

“Working with our vital frontline charities this funding will enable us to offer support in two key areas. It will help us to build a network of community hotspots providing warm places across the county for people to come together. In addition, it enables us to reopen the opportunity to help struggling households manage their increasing utilities costs. Last winter this programme saw nearly 20,000 households supported on food bills at what was a very challenging time.

“We are delighted to see our partnership continue and expand at a time when coming together has never been more important.”

Vicky Aitken, Acting CEO of Age UK Norfolk, said: “Following the success of the current Household Support Fund, Age UK will be supporting this next release of funding focussed on utility payment support. We have recognised that minimum wage and zero-hour workers may have felt they were not entitled to support in previous rounds, therefore we would especially encourage those aged 50 plus with low incomes to reach out to the Norfolk Assistance Scheme. If you would prefer to chat to us first, please call the Your Norfolk Advice line on 0333 996 8333 where our Triage team will be more than happy to discuss potential support.”

Pete Holland, Anglian Water’s Director of Customer and Wholesale Services, said:

“We know this year is going to be incredibly challenging for many our customers. We’re incredibly proud of the support provided over the last year but the next 12 months are going be tougher, and we all need to act.

“We’re pleased to be working with Norfolk County Council, Norwich Age UK and Norfolk Community Foundation to highlight the support we can offer for anyone struggling to pay their bills. This year we’ve put forward £65 million of tailored affordability support – this is the biggest package of support we’ve ever provided, meaning we can help even more people in a way that’s tailored to their individual circumstances.

“This support includes discounted tariffs, meaning eligible customers can get up to 50 per cent off their water bill, as well as affordable payment plans, and payment holidays in certain circumstances. We also offer direct support through the Anglian Water Assistance Fund, which is specially designed to help to cover the cost of bills when people are going through the most challenging times. The support package will also signpost customers to potential government benefits they may be able to claim.

“Whatever the circumstances, our message to customers is simple: if you’re struggling, please get in touch. The sooner we talk, the sooner we can help.”

In summary Norfolk County Councils’ investment in Norfolk communities includes:
- £7m of capital funding for Multi-Use Hubs which will re-develop town centres in King’s Lynn and Great Yarmouth, co-locating Adult Education and Libraries alongside wider community support
- £4.7m in multiply funding aimed at improving adult numeracy skills through free personal tutoring, digital training, and flexible courses
- £2.7m for the Holiday Activity and Food programme in conjunction with Active Norfolk, providing free holiday activities for eligible children and young people aged 5-16 in Norfolk
- £1.2m for Nourishing Norfolk, Warm Spaces, and to expand the capacity of the Advice Network
The continuation of the Household Support Fund will be spent in several areas:
- £3.6m for cost-of-living vouchers to families of free school meals eligible children with those eligible receiving a total of £120 in vouchers per child for the period
- £2.7m to continue the county council’s existing Norfolk Assistance Scheme (NAS) which provides emergency financial help, essential household goods, and advice and support for all Norfolk residents in need
- £0.9m for district councils to provide community support which targets those most in need, and focuses on providing initial emergency support, as well as providing onwards referral via the NAS
- £0.4m of support targeted to voluntary and community groups, via the Norfolk Community Foundation, enabling Norfolk’s voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, faith groups, and town and parish councils to enable direct support to some of our most vulnerable communities
- £0.22m to voluntary and community organisations to cover core costs for providing warm spaces for vulnerable people to access and provide signposting for additional help or support that they might need
- £0.084m to support libraries to continue their “Warm and Well” schemes, and “Grab and Go” bags, including free sanitary products
October 11, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Dorset Council takes steps to reduce energy use in libraries [September 2022]

The press release issued by Dorset Council on 27 September 2022.

Dorset Council has installed a host of energy saving measures at libraries across Dorset in a bid to cut down on carbon emissions and energy costs.

Over the past six months, the council has installed a wide range of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures at fifteen library sites in the council area.

The measures – that range from highly efficient LED lighting to advanced building management systems – form part of the council’s response to the climate and ecological emergency and are expected to save over £40,000 a year in electricity and gas costs and reduce annual energy use by more than 275,000 kilo-watt hours (which is over a quarter of the energy used last year across all 15 sites).

The work, which will make the libraries more energy efficient and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, has been fully funded by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, a scheme set-up by the Government and delivered by Salix to reduce the emissions of publicly owned buildings across the UK.

One of the sites benefitting from the scheme is Gillingham library and museum, where solar panels have been installed and state-of-the-art upgrades made to its existing building management system. The solar panels installed on the library roof will provide zero-carbon electricity to the site, whilst the building management system makes sure the library’s heating is working as efficiently and effectively as possible with minimum energy wasted. Together, the measures installed at the North Dorset library are expected to save around 57,000 kilo-watt hours of energy each year and an impressive 13 tonnes of carbon emissions.

Addressing the energy efficiency of council-owned buildings is one of the key actions set out in the council’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy. With around 30 per cent of the council’s emissions coming from its buildings, projects like this will play a vital role in helping Dorset Council reach its target of becoming a carbon-neutral council by 2040.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said:

“I am delighted to see the steps taken to reduce the carbon footprint of our library service. Not only will these measures take us closer to our net-zero goal, but they will also help protect our libraries from the rapidly rising electricity and gas prices.

“Reducing running costs will help us continue to deliver the wide range of services through our libraries that are so important to so many across Dorset. And at the same time accelerate our shift away from fossil fuels towards a cleaner future.

“A huge well-done to the Assets and Property team of Dorset Council who have been pivotal in making this project happen, and to the programme board who have met regularly to secure its success.”

Efforts to cut energy use in Dorset libraries are part of a much wider programme of work by the council to reduce the carbon footprint of its buildings.

October 11, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Strengthening the response to the cost of living crisis in Kent [September 2022]

The press release issued by Kent County Council on 27 September 2022.

The three main pillars to the burgeoning response to the cost of living crisis were discussed at Kent County Council (KCC)’s Cabinet this morning (Thursday).

Firstly, there is a strength in a ‘Kent Together’-style partnership of agencies and organisations, as demonstrated during the pandemic. Secondly, wherever people reach out for assistance, they are supported to find the right help. And thirdly, the understanding that everyone’s crisis is different but no less detrimental.

The meeting agreed the economic environment is a rapidly-changing one and while significant central government interventions like the energy unit cap for households and businesses was welcome, people will require additional support this winter as they struggle with very personal financial hardship being created by a growing number of factors, such as rising food bills and mortgage rates.

Leader Roger Gough met with borough and district counterparts across the county earlier this month to agree that the financial hardship task and finish group, incorporating vital voluntary and community groups, will move as one as it did during Covid, using data and analysis to target its combined resources in a coordinated and effective way against the impact of severe economic pressures.

He said: “There is a shape-shifting nature to this crisis and we will need to remain fleet of foot. We and other key statutory organisations need to be very alive to this and align, work in a structured way and seek to best address this situation for the people of Kent over the coming weeks and months.

“We adopted the ‘Kent Together’ approach during the pandemic and the right things were done in the right places. A lot was delivered both by district and borough councils and indeed by community groups and parishes and that remains really important. There are different levels at which this can and should be done.”

The ReferKent project, a pilot since July, officially launches today and will play a critical role as one of a number of initiatives in the Financial Hardship Programme.

Cllr Gough said: “People who are under pressure and in distress may come to a whole variety of organisations for help, which might initially not be the right one or their needs are more complex. All too often in the past, they were signposted, they got lost in the system, they lost heart and their needs were not met.

“ReferKent importantly ensures they are correctly referred, that referral is carefully followed through and the right help is given.”

A meeting in relation to the new Kent and Medway Integrated Care System is due in a few weeks and will also be focused on the potential wider health and welfare ramifications of the cost of living crisis and how all partners can step in to start changing outcomes.

As well as core interventions like free school meals and food and energy vouchers, which will be once again distributed when the Treasury gives the go head for the third round of the Household Support Fund, it will be social interactions like local community wardens who will be able to make the difference when people in difficult circumstances might not have the mental resilience to put good advice into practice.

Deputy Cabinet Member for Communications and Engagement Cllr Jeremy Kite said: “Every contact we make with individuals across Kent now has to have that awareness of the possibility of a cost of living vulnerability.

“As Kent Together during the pandemic, we galvanised ourselves and used every asset at our disposal to make sure we left no one behind and left no question unasked. With everything we do there has to be an understanding; however wealthy someone appears on the surface, however sorted their lifestyle seems, we need to ask those big questions about whether underneath there is a key problem there that we can help with.”

Initiatives already in place or currently being developed include:

Household Support Fund (HSF) round three – voucher support over the winter for food and energy bills, subject to direction from central government

Pop-up debt advice hubs – run in conjunction with the Citizens Advice to give people overwhelmed by their financial situation pathways out of debt

Underwritten loans – another partnership project with Citizens Advice and Kent Savers, where residents can access 0% interest loans to help consolidate high interest debt with supportive training for future money management

Bed poverty – this project aims to provide children of Kent with a safe space to sleep and a bed of their own. Some Kent families are unable to afford the basic essential needs for their children

Kent Community Warden Service – trusted community faces identifying, advocate for and ensuring vulnerable people have access to all the help and support they need

Kent Support And Assistance Service (KSAS) – demand has increased for this welfare scheme for people experiencing a short-term crisis or emergency

There are also projects running under the Digital Kent banner to improve digital exclusion including gifted 4G routers and laptops for eligible people via referral as well as social tariff broadband.

October 11, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Libraries open their doors to support local residents this winter [September 2022]

The press release issued by Devon County Council on 30 September 2022.

Our libraries in Devon are throwing their doors open in welcome this winter, to provide a range of help, support, advice and comfort to people who may be struggling, or beginning to struggle with the rising cost of living.

The ‘Libraries for Life’ campaign, run by Libraries Unlimited, will carry right through until March 2023, and will cover six topical themes, including the rising cost of living; loneliness and community connections; food, health and wellbeing; digital access and support; and employment, skills and business.

Libraries across Devon and Torbay will provide warm welcoming spaces, where people are welcome to join and spend time in the library, and to use the free WiFi and computers if they wish to. There are many free events and groups that people can attend, and some libraries will be hosting sessions providing help and advice about energy efficiency, debt advice and other topical subjects.

In Tavistock, Tiverton and Exeter libraries, with more libraries to follow, there are community fridge projects operating, that make surplus food from local supermarkets available to all for free. Those libraries are working with Sustainable Tiverton, Live West in Tavistock, and the community fridge in Exeter is partly funded by the Community Fund.

Coat rails in the Barnstaple, Ilfracombe, Exmouth, Totnes, Bideford, Ivybridge, Sidmouth, Seaton, Exeter and Tiverton libraries, introduced in partnership with IKEA, Willmott Dixon and Julian House, are installed for people to donate warm winter coats, for vulnerable people. Other libraries are collecting donated clothing.

Otherwise, libraries are continuing to provide a home library service, for people who are housebound or who struggle to get to their library. Contact your local library or email home.library@librariesunlimited.org.uk for more information.

Free baby weighing facilities are available at libraries in Ottery St Mary, Totnes, Ivybridge, Tavistock, Teignmouth, Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, Exeter (St Thomas), Dawlish, Okehampton, Newton Abbot, Cullompton, Tiverton and Exmouth.

Libraries also provide a selection of Reading Well books, to support good mental and physical health, for children, teens and adults.

Most libraries provide free drop-in IT sessions, and Newton Abbot Library is also hosting Barclays once a week, to offer a free Digital Wings Programme to boost digital skills and confidence.

There are work clubs operating in Bideford, Barnstaple, Exeter, Newton Abbot, Crediton, Cullompton, Tiverton and Tavistock libraries, offering one-to-one support with CV writing, developing skills and applying for jobs.

And there are webinars and one-to-one coaching and advice for budding entrepreneurs and local start-up businesses, at Business and IP Centres in Barnstaple and Exeter libraries.

Libraries are also always looking for volunteers, which is a great way to meet new people and support your local community this winter.

Councillor Roger Croad, our Cabinet Member responsible for libraries, said:

“Our libraries have long been more than just buildings with books and CDs – they are centres within the hearts of communities that provide a range of help and support for their visitors.

“I’m very pleased, as we’re approaching winter, and with food and energy costs rising, that many libraries are able still, despite rising costs also impacting on them, to continue to deliver support for local residents.”

Colin Bray, Service Development Manager, who’s organised the campaign, said:

“Across all our libraries there are friendly staff on hand to assist and chat to customers and new visitors. We pride ourselves on the fact our libraries are safe, accessible, and welcoming spaces for people of all ages to enjoy.

“All signs point to this being a difficult winter for many people. There is economic hardship ahead, coming off the back of the recovery from the challenges wrought by coronavirus. Our customers will be dealing with an increased cost of living including heating bills, transport, and food this winter.

“We want them to know libraries can help. We can keep them warm, give them food, help them find a job, boost their business, offer companionship and a place to explore interests, and help them get online. And all of that is before they even borrow a book!

“We regularly hear people say, ‘I didn’t know you did so much’! This winter we want to showcase all that we do to enrich lives and build communities around Devon and Torbay.”

October 11, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New report puts the spotlight on counties’ infrastructure and transport projects [October 2022]

The press release issued by the County Councils Network on 5 October 2022.

A new report released today as part of the County Councils Network’s County Spotlight series examines how county councils and unitary councils are setting out or delivering infrastructure and transport projects to boost their local economies.

The report is released just weeks after the new government set a target of 2.5% annual growth for the country, and examines recent best practice and projects from CCN’s members designed to boost productivity and infrastructure capacity in their areas.

The document contains 16 case studies split across the CCN membership, showcasing how those councils are the conduit for place-based growth in their areas in driving inward investment and unlocking substantial projects.

It focuses on the last twelve months, and the projects undertaken by county authorities as they transition from pandemic economic recovery to levelling-up and growth initiatives.

The case studies in the Spotlight are split across the following four themes:

Driving Economic Recovery: Large-scale projects to unlock growth and housing
Local Regeneration Breathing new life into road and rail infrastructure
Going Electric: Helping county residents switch to greener transport
Revamping Local Transport: Ensuring county residents can travel effectively and safely

October 11, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Councils call for delay to flagship social care reforms, warning services face a ‘perfect storm’ of financial and workforce pressures over the next 12 months [October 2022]

The press release issued by the County Councils Network on 6 October 2022.

With a year to go until the introduction of flagship reforms in adult social care, England’s largest councils today call for a delay – warning that the system is under so much pressure care services could be worsened if they are introduced too soon.
From October 2023, reforms to protect people from catastrophic care costs and make more people eligible for state support with their care costs come into force. These include a more generous means-test and a cap on care costs of £86,000 – two policies which are supported by the County Councils Network (CCN).

But the CCN warns that the system is under serious pressure currently, with councils facing a ‘perfect storm’ of financial and workforce pressures that mean the government should push back their introduction to October 2024.

The call comes in a new report released today by the CCN. The document is Point Three of the network’s Five Point Plan for County and Unitary Councils, designed to influence the policies of the new government.

CCN says loading extra pressure on an already-teetering system to prepare for the introduction of the cap on care and means-test over the next 12 months could worsen services by impacting on the availability and quality of care packages.

They say that inflation is set to add £3.7bn of additional costs to existing services by 2023, whilst councils face a workforce crisis at present with thousands of vacancies unfilled. CCN warn councils will not be able to recruit an estimated extra 5,000 staff over the next 12 months to undertake an additional 197,000 care and financial assessments needed, which is a 45% increase on current levels. This level of extra demand will create longer waits for care packages, as at present there is a waiting list of almost 300,000.

With the Health Secretary Therese Coffey promising to ‘rebalance’ funding between health and social care, CCN is calling on the government to ‘stabilise’ the social care sector by focusing on existing pressures and providing more funding for services to get through the next year, before introducing reforms in 2024.

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

Today’s new publication outlines the financial and workforce challenges currently in social care – and the impacts of the reforms if they are introduced next October:

Adult social care services in England are set to face £3.7bn in additional costs over the next 18 months due to rising inflation and demand. This is more than double the rise in costs that were estimated when inflation was lower.

If government doesn’t provide any more funding to offset these costs, councils will have little choice but to reduce the amount of care packages available to people, and/or charge more for certain services. This could mean a worse level of service on day one of the reforms being introduced next October if the financial pressures councils face is not stabilised.

Local authorities are facing a staffing and capacity crisis currently, which is impacting on people who are currently eligible for care. There are currently almost 300,000 people waiting for a Care Act assessment, which determines what level of state support they are eligible for.

If the reforms go ahead, councils face a ‘mountain’ of Care Act and financial assessments each year to register people for the cap, means-test or ask the council to arrange their care. CCN analysis of research by Newton for the network estimates that an extra 197,000 assessments each year will be needed which is a 45% increase on current levels, rising to 64% in county and rural areas. If the reforms are introduced next October, these waiting times are likely to get longer.

An extra 5,000 staff will be needed to carry out the extra assessments – on top of a current social worker vacancy rate of 1,782. CCN says that its councils will find it almost impossible to recruit that level of staff by next October, making it extremely likely that people will face even longer waits for care than they do now.

The same research by Newton for CCN has estimated the costs of the reforms over the next decade could be a minimum of £10bn more than current government funding estimates. CCN says the delay would allow the government to fully reassess the costs of reforms and set out a funding package that fully funds them before the next Spending Review.

By delaying the introduction of the means-test and cap on care to October 2024, alongside new duties to arrange care for all self-funders to April 2025, this would provide local authorities adequate time to prepare, particularly to recruit the necessary workforce and undertake a fundamental review of their operations and digital infrastructure to manage increased assessments at a time of severe backlogs and workforce shortages.

At the same time, it would allow councils to focus on their Fair Cost of Care exercises with care providers and the stated policy of ‘moving towards’ paying higher rates for services over the next two years.

But CCN says the delay must be backed by additional funding from government. This is to address the immediate pressures within the system now, such as inflationary costs, improving the quality and availability of care packages and the recruitment and retention of care workers, alongside fully funding provider fee increases as a result of Fair Cost of Care exercises.

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

“The government’s reforms package will make the charging system for social care fairer over time and councils across the country support their premise.

“However, the care system is facing a perfect storm of financial and workforce pressures. These reforms could exacerbate this by extending the eligibility of state support for care costs, provided by local authorities. Councils face a mountain of extra assessments that will be impossible to deliver because of current capacity and financial issues in local government.

“Loading these reforms onto a system that is already in crisis could worsen care services by the time these reforms to ‘fix’ social care are introduced. Newly eligible people next October could face substantial waits for a care assessment whilst the quality of care for those already provided for could worsen as councils struggle with the extra demand amidst rising costs.

“Councils remain committed to supporting these reforms, but is imperative councils have the time to mitigate the pressures they will create, recruit a sufficient number of staff, and stabilise services in the short term. If not, these reforms could be unworkable at inception.”

October 11, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Devon joins call to give councils more time to prepare for social care reforms [October 2022]

The press release issued by Devon County Council on 6 October 2022.

Our lead councillor for adult social care has echoed a call from the County Councils Network (CCN) today (Thursday 6 October), asking the government to delay the introduction of new social care reforms, planned next year.

The government reforms are due to be introduced next October. Their intention is to enable more people to receive financial support for adult social care, but councils are concerned that it will significantly increase costs to deliver services, due to increased demand, at a time when there is already a huge shortfall in the number of care workers.

The CCN call it a ‘perfect storm’. Their research suggest that inflation is driving up the cost of providing social care to unsustainable levels. By next year inflation could add £3.6 billion to the cost of providing social care in county areas.

And in Devon, we are currently forecasting an overspend in adult social care of £5.6 million this financial year, and between £30 million to £40 million over the next 10 years.

The CCN say that loading extra pressure on an already-teetering system to prepare for the introduction of the reforms could worsen services by impacting on the availability and quality of care packages.

They’re calling for the introduction of reforms to be delayed to provide local authorities adequate time to prepare, particularly to recruit the necessary workforce and to review their operations and digital infrastructure to manage increased assessments, at a time of severe backlogs and workforce shortages.

They’ve also said that the delay must be backed by additional funding from government, to address immediate pressures within social care.

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

“Loading these reforms onto a system that is already in crisis could worsen care services by the time these reforms to ‘fix’ social care are introduced. Newly eligible people next October could face substantial waits for care assessment whilst the quality of care for those already provided for could worsen as councils struggle with the extra demand amidst rising costs.

“Councils remain committed to supporting these reforms, but it is imperative councils have the time to mitigate the pressures they will create, recruit a sufficient number of staff, and stabilise services in the short term. If not, these reforms could be unworkable at inception.”

Councillor James McInnes, Cabinet Member responsible for adult social care, said:

“With the shortage of adult social care workers, the national and local challenges in recruiting for those posts, on top of the anticipated increased demand for adult social care arising from these changes, and associated increase in costs to deliver those services, at a time of huge budget pressures….yes, we need more time.

“The government’s aims to enable more people to receive financial support are laudable, but they are unaffordable unless Ministers provide hard-pressed councils with vital additional funds.

“But as I say, it’s not just about the money. The reforms create and exacerbate real workforce challenges that we are already faced with. There are already too many people waiting too long for assessment, and we’ll have the responsibilities for many more people than we are now.”

October 11, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone conversation with President Joseph Biden [October 2022]

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 10 October 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with President of the United States Joseph Biden.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed President Biden about the consequences of the massive missile strikes against civilian infrastructure perpetrated today by the Russian aggressor.

President of Ukraine underscored that recent large-scale damages of critical energy infrastructure pose serious challenges ahead of the upcoming winter and beginning of the heating season.

“Today’s strikes against civilian targets throughout Ukraine are a sign of weakness of the Russian army which is losing on the battlefield. It is pure terror. But we will not succumb to the Russian missile blackmail,” the Head of State underlined.

The two leaders discussed the importance of air defense, and continued U.S. contributions to increase this capability. In this context, they discussed the upcoming extraordinary meeting of the Group of Seven Leaders (G7) dedicated to Ukraine and most pressing measures of support for Ukraine which can be adopted by the international community.

October 11, 2022