How wrong can the News Post Leader be?

Photo Councillor Dave Montgomery

Following Councillor Dave Montgomery’s attack on the veracity of the News Post Leader we have picked another article, another attack on the County Council and put it to a forensic test.

The article this week proclaims that the County has increased Home Care charges by a whopping 90%

The gist of the story is;

‘Senior members of Northumberland County Council have backed moves to hike up the fees for thousands of elderly and disabled residents to try to claw back cash in adult social care.The plans include introducing means-tested charges for day care, doubling the fares for transport and putting a 25 per cent increase on meals on wheels prices.In addition, those currently paying the maximum £45 for home help would see the cost rise to £60 in April, with the possibility of a further increase to £85 in October.’

It’s maybe a very apt time to look back exactly three years to 19 February 2004 when the County first embarked upon its crusade against the elderly and infirm in Northumberland. Having failed to close homes after opposition from the Labour Parties in South east Northumberland it decided to increase the cost of home care, from £25.50 to £35 per week.

As Councillor Hillman then said ‘ We have the hard decisions to make’.

Now we move on to 2005 and the charge rises £45 per week.

As the then Leader, Mickey ‘Close the Homes’ Davey said ‘ We are here to make the hard decisions’

Now in 2007 the charge will rise from April to £60 per week and in October to £85.

Councillor Tony Reid , Portfolio Holder states;

"There is no doubt about it, increasing the charges is a difficult issue."We have to make difficult decisions and this is part of the process."Deputy leader Peter Hillman added: "We are really going out to protect the most vulnerable and this demonstrates that.

VERDICT

The rise from this current year’s charge of £45 to £85 is ONLY 88.9% not 90%

Over three years the rise is 333%

So the News Post Leader has got it wrong, maybe Councillor Montgomery really should take the matter to the Press Complaints Commission!

There is a really serious point to this. Only last year did the current hapless leader Billy ‘Bullet’ Brooks repeat the phrase ‘It’s unfortunate – but we are here to make these hard decisions’

Who are these decisions HARD for Billy – certainly not you and Peter, cosseted by over £30,000 a year in allowances and expenses. Certainly not for Mark Henderson with nearly twice the wage of the Prime Minister.

The decisions made are the hardest for those we should protect.

Forget the disaster of inspections for Adult Social Care and now for the Supporting people programme; this is quite simply a brazen attack on the meagre living standards of the elderly and infirm in Northumberland.

This administration is a walking disaster and should resign with their heads hanging in complete and utter shame