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KCC jobs at risk from cuts


HUNDREDSof jobs could be lost and budgets for the elderly and children could be slashed as KCC aims to save £206m between 2015 and 2018. The county council says it is only


£7m short of delivering the target savings for 2014/15 of £81m and has outlined how it aims to con- tinue reducing its budget for the following three years.


Adult social


care could be cut by £28.8m, spe- cialist children’s services could be trimmed


by Cllr Paul Carter


£21.2m and £8m is set to be lost from the children’s pre- ventative services budget.


Staff restructuring would save


£12m and lead to the loss of 250 to 400 full-time jobs, but KCC leader Cllr Paul Carter (pictured) insists the only frontline service likely to suffer will be communitywardens, which is set to be reduced from 79 to 40 to save £1.28m. He says money would be saved


in adult social care by offering more support at home and negoti- ating new contracts with providers. In children’s services, there will be a drive to reduce the number of children in care and an emphasis on support for families at home. Kent wants to adopt a similar


model to those in Essex and Hack- ney, where frontline social workers are not only responsible for safe- guarding but are also given the power to sign off care packages and assessments, reducing bureau- cracy.


Other services subject to money- saving initiatives are libraries


(£2.8m), which could be run by charitable trusts to secure benefits such as discounts on business rates; waste and recycling (£3m) by turn- ing processing costs into an income stream; contracts and procurement (£21.1m) by renegotiating commer- cial agreements in areas such as highways, transport andwaste. KCC says the cuts are necessary because government grants up to 2018 are set to be cut by £111m and the forecasted increase in council tax, which it proposes to raise by 1.99%, is only £36.8m. With rising costs in areas such as infrastructure and school places, there will be a large shortfall. Cllr Carter, a Conservative, said


the financial challenges were “un- precedented”. He added: “Every year I say that the cumulative com- pounding effect of savings makes it more and more difficult to balance the books, but yet again we have got a budget that almost balances the books.” Labour’s finance spokesman for


KCC, Cllr Derek Smythe, said: “The coalition government has dis- criminated against local govern- ment. Local authorities as organisations are the best expres- sions of localism but they are being undermined.” Consultation on the proposed budget for 2015/16, which closes on November 28, will include ques- tions on three topics: council tax, savings over the next three years and balance of savings for 2015/16. Responses will be considered be- fore KCC sets the budget in Febru- ary 2015. To air your views, go to www.kent.gov.uk/about-the- council/have-your-say/budget- consultation.


Workshops for new businesses


A SERIES of workshops to help start-up entrepreneurs, young businesses and social enterprises has been launched in Maidstone. The workshops, at the Maidstone Enterprise Centre in Medvale House


will be delivered by Kent Adult Education. They will cover topics such as business planning, applying for loans and marketing strategies. Sessions will also be led by Katie Cohen, a Kent-based expert in social


enterprise, and Phil Audin, of Pinpoint Coaching, who has extensive experience in customer service and team development. Each workshop costs £15 per person. For details call Emma Brooks on 01622 757590.


Fish bar extension


THE Chequers Fish Bar in Lenham Square could be extended to in- clude outdoor seating. Owner Marino Michaelas has ap-


plied to convert a former garage into a restaurant extension and out- door area. Maidstone Council will decide.


Trees face the axe


TWO trees could be removed at The Dog and Bear Hotel in The Square, Lenham. The scheme would also see the


removal of deadwood from a com- mon ash and other pruning work. Maidstone Council will determine the application.


CARE VISITS AT HOME Good Old Fashioned Service


ASK DEBBIE........ for help, advice and assistance


Dear Debbie,


I have recently heard a lot about home care but am not familiar with what it is. My mother has Alzheimer’s and I care for her full time but I need to go back to work. I thought that a residential care home was the only choice for her at this stage. Could you let me know more about home care and what it actually is?


Best Wishes Les P


Dear Les,


Care at home, home care or domiciliary care is a service that is increasing popular and is a realistic alternative to residential care. In the past it was generally thought that when someone started to become less able, that moving into a residential care home was the only viable option. Care at home is exactly what it says it is. People can remain in their own homes for as long as possible with support from a care agency with their Care workers visiting them. The benefits are that people can maintain their independence and retain their quality of life while receiving assistance on things they may now struggle with for example getting in and out of the shower, putting socks on, preparing meals, medication and even shopping. A good care agency will always be able to provide police checked, fully trained, kind and considerate Care Workers. Nowadays the need for support no longer means going into a care home but receiving assistance in the comfort of your own home which is usually more cost effective too.


Kind Regards,


Debbie Moulton, Care Manager Bluebird Care


• Help with getting up or going to bed


• Personal Hygiene • Cleaning the home • Preparing Meals • Assist with medication • Overnight Care


• Washing or Ironing • Shopping


• Sightseeing or leisure activities • 24hr Live-in-care


• Trips to see friends or relatives


MAIDSTONE • 01622 809530 maidstone@bluebirdcare.co.uk


www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/maidstone Maidstone East November 2014


23


If you have a question that you would like to ask Debbie then please email her at debbie@bluebirdcare.co.uk


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