Residents are to be consulted as part of a review of services for older people, people with disabilities and carers across Cheshire East.
Over the last two years, the Council has been working to transform the way services are supplied to older people and adults with disabilities, to bring about greater efficiencies and savings. Despite this, the authority faces a potential overspend as demand continues to increase during the tough economic climate and people who used to fund their own care are running out of money and turning to the Council to help.
It is essential that the full costs of care are recovered either through those who fund themselves or those who are funded by budgets provided by Cheshire East. However, many people fall between these two positions and their care is part funded by themselves and the Council.
The Council is going out to public consultation to seek the views of its customers and their carers. Topics under consideration are:
- Recovering the full cost of service provision either through customer payments and/or personal budgets from the Council;
- Recovering not just the cost of care but the overheads associated with providing that care;
- Using direct debits for collecting care costs with care providers collecting those costs directly, significantly reducing the cost of collection. The Empower debit card can be used to pay care suppliers;
- The charging policy to include benefit advice and means testing for carers to ensure that they have the correct level of income;
- The charging policy to include people in receipt of Independent Living Funds.
The Council is supporting an increasing number of people to make their own care arrangements but there are some people for whom this is not possible, such as those who need long-term residential or nursing care. The Council will continue to make arrangements for them.
Councillor Roland Domleo, Cabinet member with responsibility for adult services, said: "This is all part of the transformation process to ensure that charging is fair and equitable to everyone and that no money is unnecessarily lost in the system that could be better spent elsewhere.
"We face a very severe economic situation and rising demand, so every penny has to be spent to give the maximum return. I have authorised the public consultation but no more than that. There are some very complex issues here and we really need input from our customers and carers, before making any decisions."
You can find out more, or make your views known by attending a public consultation at Wilmslow Leisure Centre on Thursday, January 6th (from 2pm to 4pm), by emailing your views or writing to: The Consultation and Participation Team, Cheshire East Council, Delamere House, Delamere Street, Crewe, CW1 2LL.
If you wish to attend the public consultation please call 01270 371376 during office hours so the Council can account for numbers. You will not be asked to provide your personal details.
