Lib Dems condemn ‘callous’ treatment of older residents
York’s Liberal Democrat councillors have condemned the ruling Labours administration’s ‘callous’ attitude towards the city’s older residents.
At the budget-setting meeting held on 27th February Labour rejected a Lib Dem amendment that would have provided £200k for the reinstatement of Day Clubs for older people which were axed by Labour last year. Labour also turned down £150k that could have helped to fund a replacement for the Dial & Ride service that was lost in December 2023, and £300k that would have extended discounts to cushion the impact of Labour’s Green Bin Tax.
One Labour councillor, Jason Rose, spoke out against the Lib Dem amendment at the meeting saying that he would not support using funds available in the council’s Public Health budget reserve “to pay for clubs for people with money.”
Before they were axed, the popular Age UK Day Clubs offered older residents an opportunity to socialise in a warm place and have a hot meal. York Central MP Rachael Maskell has also backed the Lib Dems’ call for the Day Clubs to be reinstated.
Cllr Carol Runciman, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Health & Adult Social Care has branded Cllr Rose’s comments as ill-informed:
“Cllr Rose’s callous comments are very concerning in that they indicate that York Labour is willing to abandon vulnerable, older residents, and their carers, for whom the Day Clubs were a lifeline.
“Labour’s attitude is also financially illiterate. By withdrawing early intervention support in the community to enhance people’s wellbeing, they are simply storing up problems that become more difficult – and expensive – to tackle further down the line.
“A clear pattern is emerging with Labour seemingly hell bent on shutting down services that older people rely on, such as local libraries which serve as warm hubs and offer a range of social activities, but which are under threat due to Labour’s planned £600k cut. They have also done nothing to restore the much-missed Dial & Ride service which was a lifeline for many older and disabled people.
“Liberal Democrats believe that access to early intervention services should be available to as many people as possible, not just those whom Labour deem worthy. As it is, their callous and counter-productive approach means that Day Clubs are available to nobody at all.”