Disabled residents could be forced into homes

A cost cap has been introduced meaning those who require home-care exceeding £35,000 per year will be placed in a specialist unit, and disability handouts will be slashed as part of two proposals passed by West Berkshire Council to save money.
The council believe introducing the cost ceiling will affect 26 residents and save a “cautious” sum of £25,000.
The moves have enraged disability campaigners who claim the changes, voted through at an extraordinary meeting of the council’s executive on Thursday, will “set back care standards 30 years”.
Liberal Democrat councillor Julian Swift-Hook (Greenham) questioned the decision which would save approximately £25,000; an amount he did not consider sufficient enough to risk hugely disrupting the lives of vulnerable residents.
He also called on the portfolio holder for community care, Joe Mooney (Con, Birch Copse) to apologise for a “fiasco” which saw the two items removed from the council’s executive meeting on March 29 to be debated at the hastily-called extraordinary meeting which was held at midday and, due to the specialist nature, did not allow for questions from the public.
Mr Mooney criticised Mr Swift-Hook for political gesturing and said no apology was necessary during the bad-tempered affair, which was broken up several times as arguments sprang up between individual councillors across the chamber.
The chairman of the West Berkshire Disability Alliance, Mick Hutchins said information later presented by the council as part of the proposals had not been made explicit during the consultation exercise, including the extent to which disability expenditure was to be slashed, however during the meeting Mr Mooney and the head of adult social services, Jan Evans, argued the consultation had been extensive and thorough.
Alterations to how disability related expenditure is calculated will save the council £700,000 under the new proposals, however Mr Hutchins said the council had incorrectly calculated the amounts and has requested the council explain how it arrived at the sum.
Mr Mooney said the changes were aimed at resolving an issue in the district where many elderly and vulnerable people were asset rich but cash poor, living in large houses and requiring extensive costly care but having no money to pay and thus requiring handouts.
The leader of the council Graham Jones (Con, Lambourn), said the council had again put more money into community care than ever before despite the fact the council was facing a diminishing budget.
Speaking after the meeting Mr Hutchins, said a dangerous step had been taken with the introduction of a cap.
“Once they do that it makes it easier for them to pull figures together if they want to make savings in future,” he said.
“What is to stop them saying it should be £30,000 next year and keep driving it down? This goes against everything we have been fighting for over the last 30 years, people being taken out of their homes.
"And there is no guarantee they will be placed in a home in Newbury, it could be Swindon, Reading, anywhere they have space.
“It will drive standards down, I think it’s a scandalous decision and we are asking them to re-think.”