Issue - meetings

To take note of the following motion, submitted by Cllr Milne, notice of which was given on 5 October 2021. The Chairman has indicated he intends to refer the motion to the Cabinet Member for Adults Services for consideration. It will therefore not be debated at this meeting.

‘Recent increases in Adult Social Care charges are causing severe distress to vulnerable individuals and their families, who are being asked to fund charge increases of as much as 400% overnight.

While we recognise the enormous stress on the County Council’s budget caused by a decade of government cuts to local authority funding, this is clearly too much of an increase, too fast.

This Council therefore resolves to ask the Cabinet Member for Adults Services to:

(1)        Reconsider the issue of Adult Social Care charges in West Sussex;

(2)        Look at alternative methods of funding and examine ways to reduce the impact on the public; and

(3)        Agree a cap on annual charge increases, such that no individual’s bill can rise by more than a fixed maximum percentage in a single year (unless there has been a material change in their service provision).’

41.1     The following motion was moved by Cllr Milne and seconded by Cllr Walsh:

‘Recent increases in Adult Social Care charges are causing severe distress to vulnerable individuals and their families, who are being asked to fund charge increases of as much as 400% overnight.

While we recognise the enormous stress on the County Council’s budget caused by a decade of government cuts to local authority funding, this is clearly too much of an increase, too fast.

This Council therefore resolves to ask the Cabinet Member for Adults Services to:

(1)         Reconsider the issue of Adult Social Care charges in West Sussex;

(2)         Look at alternative methods of funding and examine ways to reduce the impact on the public; and

Agree a cap on annual charge increases, such that no individual’s bill can rise by more than a fixed maximum percentage in a single year (unless there has been a material change in their service provision).’

41.2     The motion was referred to the Cabinet Member for Adults Services for consideration.