Social care – It’s time we had a fundamental change.

At the moment, local councils are in an impossible situation. By law, they are mandated to deliver certain services, but the funding of those services is not aligned to the need as it occurs.

For example. No one knows how many children will need to be taken into care or how many elderly persons will need assistance from the state and when that might happen. Estimates can be created of course, but that is done well in advance of any council budget.

It’s therefore not a surprise, that with much of a council’s budget going towards costs of this type, and that often the estimates are wrong, its everything else that has to be squeezed to ensure a Council does not break the law.

The changes we need are that costs associated with providing these variable services are dealt with monthly, rather than yearly. Also these costs would go directly to Westminster who are better placed to fund it. They can more easily estimate needs because they are looking at the UK as a whole. They are also the ones who can develop policy that funds this need appropriately.

With social care funding where it belongs, in Westminster, Councils could be better judged on just how well they are managing remaining budgets and other services.

As we have entered general election campaigning territory, now’s your chance to write to your MP and demand change. As many MPs will not return to the next parliament, I suggest you also write to the prospective MPs who will be asking for your vote.