County matters
By Tricia Birchley
2008 has begun on a wet and windy note and the ground is now sodden making dog walking a real challenge. The paths are often slippery and the mud means frequent brushing but nonetheless they love it! I do hope everyone enjoyed the holiday and wish you all a very successful and happy year.
Towards mid-December the County Council learnt that Children’s and Young People’s Services had been awarded three ‘stars’ and Adult Social Care received two, meaning that Buckinghamshire remains a ‘four-star’ authority for the coming year. This is the top rating for quality and performance, however balancing the books over the next three years will not be easy as the government continues to penalise the South East.
In real terms older people’s services now receive less than in 2003, as we prepare for a 44% increase in the number of older and vulnerable people by 2027. ‘Because Every Adult Matters’ which was launched by the county in October will enable us to reach an extra 3,000 older people this year offering advice and support to help them lead independent lives. In Buckinghamshire 43% of people living in residential and nursing care are self-funders compared to the national average of 30%. Self-funders have traditionally sought this type of care when they were 24% fitter that those assessed by Social Services. It is a fact that people live longer in their own homes and we want to help and support people in making these decisions in future. Certain disabilities are also on the increase, for example we estimate that there will be an extra 268 service users over the next 15 years and we are planning and preparing now to ensure that we can offer the best possible support for vulnerable people living in Buckinghamshire.
To date we have not had too many icy roads this winter. I shall be consulting with the Parish Council to ensure that we prioritise on the country roads most in need of repair as funds becomes available.
County’s website now has a more modern appeal which reduces the number of telephone calls by 24,000 a month. Customer Services already handles 36,000 calls a month, and it’s now possible to access county council services both from your TV and mobile phone. The ‘Looking Local’ service is available on Sky or Virgin Media digital television, a Freeview box with modem or a web enabled mobile phone. You can find out about our services, report a problem, request a service or a call back and access train and bus timetables, plus search for jobs locally and nationally and book a doctor’s appointment.
Please continue to contact me if I can pursue matters of interest at County Hall by talking direct to officers and ensuring that your concerns are properly considered.