It’s so good to be writing for the Post again and keeping in contact making sure you’re up to date with local news and information.
I’ve been Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Care at Derbyshire County Council for the past four years. Its annual budget is £262million per annum.
During the pandemic those working in adult care from management to front line care workers in the Councils Residential homes, Care homes and home care services have been extremely professional, caring and flexible.
Our Care workers in Adult Care have not only been squeezed financially but burdened with the stressful working conditions caused by Covid over the past year. They have been magnificent working in an impossibly difficult set of circumstances in our communities.
My heartfelt thanks goes to those working to care for and protect our most vulnerable residents in residential homes, care homes and home care services in Derbyshire.
I hope that any future proposed Council Plan for Adult Care would alleviate the stresses and strains of our dedicated workforce and raise the profile of the front line care workers by improving their working conditions and increasing wages in line with the living wage and recognising the valuable contribution they make in our society.
I would also wish to see investment in more Council jobs in Care, providing opportunities for training and apprenticeships. Continuing to maintain and improve our existing residential homes building new Council care homes as needed and extra care homes for independent living to meet the needs of our fast growing elderly population.
In just under twenty years 1 in 4 of the population will be over 65years old and requiring at some stage support from adult care services.
I believe the Council has an essential role to play in adult social care and should be expanding in this area in operating residential homes and providing both short and long term home care services for independent living.
Currently there are 55 independent sector businesses involved in long term home care services looking after 4,000 residents in Derbyshire. It is forecast nationally that there will be an increase of 18% of elderly residents wishing to live independently at home and a 43% rise in those with learning disabilities living at home as specialist homes close, consequently there will be greater demand for long term home care services it is important that our residents have choice and that it’s not just led purely by the private sector who are there to make a profit.
Council services are not motivated by profit they are democratically accountable 24/7 to our constituents through elected members, and they abide closely to the statutory legislation to ensure our vulnerable residents are kept safe.
During the Pandemic the County Councils Adult Care department in Derbyshire went further than the initial guidance from the government to protect our vulnerable residents and in doing so saved many more lives in Council run residential homes than the private sector were able to achieve under the governments standard guidance.
In financially difficult times private companies have to run on a shoe string and this can affect the quality of service they are able to provide for their elderly residents.
Highway matters: Pot holes are the bane of all our lives! They are a symptom of a damaged or worn out road/footway. When the road surface has reached the end of its life a structural maintenance scheme is necessary.
These schemes involve the removal of old material and the replacement of the road surface and its foundations. We’ve all experienced temporary patching of holes in the road which fall out after heavy rains and have to be reported and patched again. This is not sustainable and a complete waste of public funding, after all it’s our hard earned money that provides the service in the first place.
Highways recently have repaired our potholes by just infilling the holes instead of carefully cutting out the damaged part then patching and sealing.
Subsequently the infill is falling out as weather conditions deteriorate producing debris on the roads and paths, and might I say extra work for other local authorities to clear up the debris and make the road and footpaths safe. One might say its money down the drain!!
It might have been better value for the Highways Authority to have invested initially in a programme of preventative maintenance preserving the life of our roads in a reasonable condition and structural maintenance schemes which involve the renewal of the carriageway were it is worn. The use of the public highways has grown but sadly government investment since 2010 into local infrastructure has fallen far short of what is reasonably required to meet today’s needs.
I recently pointed out the problem of temporary patching at the last full Council meeting to the Cabinet Member for Highways citing as an example Church Drive in Shirebrook and likened it to a sieve because of the numerous potholes over its surface. A section of road on Church Drive was resurfaced just over a decade ago following the housing development but since it has rapidly deteriorated.
The Highways Authority regularly carry out temporary pothole repairs to this road. A few weeks ago it took the District Council two days to clear up the debris on the road and pavement from the fallout from the potholes following heavy rains.
The road is completely worn out in sections and I requested the damaged parts be resurfaced and the response from highways was that they would carry out yet more pothole repairs which was totally unacceptable as the road is beyond repair. I pointed out to the Cabinet Member for highways this was a waste of public money on something that was unsustainable.
I’ve reported the flooding on Acreage Lane numerous times over the past years it has been a problem area for some time as a result of broken drains. I’m pleased to report that the drains are now repaired and the road has been resurfaced over that damaged section.
Shirebrook Miner’s Memorial Fund has now raised £100,000 from cash donated by former miners and their families. What fantastic news and a fabulous achievement for the fund raisers to raise that amount in so short a time.
I received in January an additional £1,000 leadership grant and the following projects received funding:
- £300 to BLAST to sponsor 10 children from disadvantaged families to go on a six week bike maintenance course. The child builds a bike under expert tuition and learns about maintenance and then gets to take the bike home at the end of the course.
- £200 to BLAST to mentor volunteer youth workers at New Houghton Community Hub to start a youth club and to support volunteers to set up and run a community shop.
- £300 for a therapeutic art project for local teenagers assisted by West Notts College Art department to produce art work with a positive message to adorn bare walls at vaccination centres, test and trace centres and doctors surgeries.
- £200 to Carter Lane Parents and Carers learning disability group to support outdoor activities and trips after lockdown restrictions have been eased following long periods of social isolation.
It has been a great honour and privilege to serve you and to fight on your behalf for the past four years, and to be able to donate to so many worthwhile community projects helping to improve people’s quality of life.
I am humbled and honoured by the support you have shown me and with your support I would like to continue as your County Councillor. Thank you, until we meet again.
Christine Dale - 07811 995612