Council to debate social care failures & abuse of vulnerable people in Gloucestershire

2.12.00pm GMT Tue 17th Feb 2009

At tomorrow's full council meeting in Gloucestershire an opposition debate will be heard to consider the issues raised by the report published on 4th February from the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

There have been two reports from the inspectorate, firstly downgrading the rating of social services to one star status. The second report published on 4th February, discovered vulnerable people at risk of abuse in Gloucestershire when receiving social care, and rated services in the worst category of "poor".

The motion submitted for debate at the council meeting calls for investigations into the discoveries reported in the Commission report.

The debate will be led by Cllr Deryck Nash, Cirencester, Shadow Cabinet member for Adult Services.

Cllr Nash said: "Four years after taking control of the council the current administration should be ashamed of their record on protecting adults who need the support of social services. The report criticises the lack of leadership at the council and those in charge need to think carefully about their role in allowing this appalling state of social care to arise."

Cllr Jeremy Hilton, Liberal Democrat leader said: "The Inspection report slams the council and its failure to protect vulnerable people in Gloucestershire. Social Services in the county are failing and this report has revealed the truth about the poor performance of the council in running social services. The report makes clear people with learning disabilities are suffering from abuse and bullying in the county."

Motion to council 18th February, reads:-

This council notes:

the recent Commission for Social Care Inspection report which identifies the failure of adult social care services to keep vulnerable people in the county safe from abuse. People with learning disabilities have had to put up with bullying and hate crime.

The report says the Conservative administration took control of social services in 2005 and provided the political leadership that has now been condemned by the Commission for Social Care.

This Council proposes:

to demand the leader of the council sacks the cabinet members in charge of adult social care services.

to demand the leader of the council puts a new cabinet team in charge of adult social care, to provide the leadership in social services which the Commission's report says is needed, to turn around social services and safeguard vulnerable people in Gloucestershire.

to invite the Commission for Social Care back to Gloucestershire in order to give them the opportunity to present the report to councillors

to ask the Chief Executive to oversee an investigation & report into all the cases of bullying & hate crime of people with learning difficulties in Gloucestershire which the Commission discovered

to ask the Chief Executive to oversee an investigation & report into the financial abuse of vulnerable people when arrangements are made to delegate control of their finances to care homes and care agencies.

Proposed: Cllr Deryck Nash, Shadow cabinet member for Adult Services

Seconded: Cllr Jeremy Hilton, Liberal Democrat leader.