'Freezing council tax and cutting adult social care is a betrayal of Labour values' - party split as Merton Council cuts are approved

At a meeting last night, the cabinet unanimously agreed to implementing £5.06 million of cuts to adult social care.

Protesters from the National Union of General and Municipal Workers (GMB) and Labour Councillor Peter Walker held up placards declaring “You’re Betraying Labour Values” and “Merton Labour Values RIP”.

Several protests have taken place over the cuts

The cabinet also agreed to continue to freeze council tax, rather than use the two per cent precept offered by the Government which would allow the council to raise £1.7 million specifically for adult social care.

January 13: Scrutiny panel votes unanimously to challenge Merton Council over "devastating" cuts to adult social care

Agreed cuts include scrapping the meals on wheels service, currently used by 175 customers aged between 50 and 103, to save £153,000.

Meals on wheels provided more than 3,000 meals to vulnerable people in December 2015, and almost 95 per cent of these were hot food.

Also cut will be the peer-led support charity Imagine Independence, which supports 165 adults with mental health issues through advocacy, employment support, peer support and social inclusion, to save £84,000.

October 21: Facing the axe: Meals on wheels and adult social care services, but at least council tax will stay frozen

Support packages for those with learning disabilities, mental health, physical disabilities, the elderly and those combatting substance misuse are also due to be drastically cut, to achieve a saving of £1,831,000.

A number of staffing reductions in adult social care are also expected.

However, it was confirmed last night that the South Thames Crossroads Service, which offers respite to carers in Merton, will no longer be decommissioned this year.

Instead, it will receive £164,000 to continue for another year while alternative services are evaluated.

Speaking on the night, cabinet member for finance Councillor Mark Allison acknowledged the concerns raised about losing the support offered by South Thames Crossroads.

He said: “I think there’s a way of providing the Crossroads service for the current year.

Age UK Merton collected 528 signatures in a petition against the cuts

February 9: "They think protecting council tax is more important than protecting vulnerable people": Age UK Merton joins fight against adult social care cuts

“I know some people would suggest we look at the service and see if the things provided to these clients can be done in more efficient ways in the future. I don’t want to get to the point where we stop the service before looking at how it can work in the future.”

It was also revealed last night that Merton have been given a “reward grant” as a result of building new homes, and will use these money to set up a £1.3 million ‘Savings Mitigation Fund’ to help lessen the impact of cuts on vulnerable people.

However, it was not made clear exactly which services this money will be used to protect, or when it would be accessed.

January 27: "The majority of the Labour group are with me" insists Merton council leader as divisions over cuts increase

Council leader Stephen Alambritis said: “Officers will be asked to seek to identify if further funding is available for future years.

“These are very difficult times for all councils, and especially for Merton.

“We have found £1.3 million without being at the whim of a Tory Government.”

Cabinet member for adult social care, Caroline Cooper-Marbiah, spoke in favour of the agreed cuts and blamed central Government for the position the council is in.

December 9: "We all have our breaking point, and all you can do is try your best": Carers speak against Merton Council cuts

She said: “Increasing council tax to find £1.7 million is like putting a sticking plaster on a one legged elephant.

“This won’t be solved by a few million here or there. We need a long term sustainable solution to this problem.

“This is a fair solution to this year’s budget.”

A protest placard in the Civic Centre in Morden

Liberal Democrat Councillor Mary-Jane Jeanes also spoke at the meeting, and urged the cabinet to raise council tax.

She said: “People I’ve spoken to tell me they would gladly pay that little bit extra, knowing that it will help support their neighbours’ independence, dignity and quality of life.

“You, cabinet members of Merton, can make choices. You can decide whether to ask our residents for a little extra council tax or make cuts to the welfare of those we have a duty to help.”

The issue has divided the Merton Labour party who passed three separate motions calling on the council to raise council tax to protect adult social care at a meeting on January 28.

February 3: Merton council leader Stephen Alambritis refuses to bend as rebel Labour party urges him to raise tax and 'save adult social care'

In a letter sent to all Labour councillors on Thursday, February 11, Chair of the Wimbledon Constituency Labour Party Alison Honor wrote: “To cut council tax bills while hitting vulnerable adults with cuts in services is indefensible.”

And in a statement released this morning, Cllr Walker condemned the decision of the cabinet and hinted that more divisions in the Labour party are still to come.

He said: “I and other Labour councillors will now have a very difficult decision to make as to whether we support the council budget on March 2 as proposed or vote against it.

“As someone who has always been on the moderate wing of the Labour Party I find it amazing that I am now cast in the role of a rebel, with the council pursuing policies which betray the values to protect the poor and sick on which the Labour party was founded.”

Leader of the Merton Conservative Group, Councillor Oonagh Moulton, said: "Merton Labour are providing no new money for adult social care. They are simply rearranging the deckchairs at the eleventh hour to try and avoid hitting the iceberg of their own making. 

"Using the Government's New Homes Bonus is a short term solution which just leaves holes elsewhere in the budget. As the money is only for one year, it provides no sustainable funding for the vital services on which vulnerable residents rely.

"Merton Labour have already failed to deliver over £5million of their own previously agreed savings. Once again, residents are suffering due to Labour's internal divisions and financial mismanagement."

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