I WONDER whether Wiltshire Council will be following the lead of the Tory run Surrey Council who are challenging their own Government over forced council tax increases of 15 per cent. The Conservative MPs whose constituencies are within Surrey have been noticeably quiet over this matter.
Wiltshire Council has continually reduced budgets by what they would call efficiency savings. These “savings” are in reality a cutting of service provision. Council taxes have been kept at the same level purely by reducing what we get for our money.
Does Wiltshire Council consider that the current level of social care is satisfactory? If they do, perhaps Ms Scott should spend some time explaining it to patients who can’t be released from hospital, as there is no suitable care provision. The fact that the RUH is not in Wiltshire is irrelevant as it is the main hospital for many Wiltshire rate payers. Wiltshire Council is responsible for home care within Wiltshire.
It must be obvious that healthcare and care at home must be considered together. A bottleneck in the provision of home care causes huge problems within the NHS. Will Wiltshire Council be stressing to the Government that they must be combined under one health budget and properly funded? It is unfair to put the burden on local councils who have to pass the costs on to residents in higher council taxes.
It’s time for our baroness and her Conservative knights to stand up for the people of Wiltshire and get Government policy changed. The very same historical action that English barons took to stop King John’s ever-growing greed, when they forced the signing of the Magna Carta.
Shaun Henley
Frome Road
Trowbridge