HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE SHOULD NOT TRY TO SET COUNCIL BUDGET WARNS COUNCILLOR

12.00.00am GMT Wed 13th Jan 2010

Speaking ahead of tonight's meeting of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which will discuss pressures placed on budgets by increasing demand for social services, Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services, Councillor Jonathan Morley said:

"The paper that is being discussed tonight sets out a list of possible measures that could be taken to ease budget pressures and is in response to a request from the scrutiny committee for a report setting out all the options."

"It is not, as has been suggested elsewhere, a proposal for next year's budget. We are currently working on proposals for the Housing and Adult Social Services budget and these are being finalised for a report to my Executive Member Decision Session at the end of the month before going to the Executive in February."

"Councils across the country are finding increasing demand is putting pressure on social services budgets. This is not a position unique to York."

"That is why, in September last year, the Executive asked the Health Overview and Scrutiny to look the issue of increased demand on care packages provided by the council and come up with recommendations about possible actions that could be taken."

"We did not ask them to get involved in setting next years budget which is what some members of the committee seem to want to do."

"The Executive made a similar request to the Learning and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee, asking them to look at the issue of the increasing number of children coming into care. "

"That committee looked at the issue in a non political way, gaining information from experts and addressing the request of the Executive. It is a shame that Councillor Alexander as Chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee has decided he would prefer to use the issue as a political football, rather than tackle this serious issue head on."