Mayor Paul Dennett’s budget was passed earlier today after deliberations about multiple issues facing Salford.
A budget posed by Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett has been passed following discussions about multiple issues facing Salford with social care being one of the main issues raised.
Speaking on her concerns for those working in the social care sector Councillor Gina Reynolds of Langworthy said: “The impact on their mental health and quality of life is disgraceful.
“I’ve got real concerns for those care staff, they’re on the brink of leaving thanks to what they’re facing.”
Despite frozen rain and never ending traffic jams, a hardy group of Salford care workers and supporters held a lobby this morning before the Council’s Budget meeting to demand more money for those who deliver social care to the most vulnerable people in the city. pic.twitter.com/YG7nQJ8P6V
— Salford Unison (@SalfordUnison) February 26, 2020
Councillor Laura Edwards of Walkden South echoed these concerns saying: “Similarly. that same policy introduces the bedroom tax, in Walkden South we had a really sad incident when a young girl died in a tragic accident in a family home.
“In order to remember her the family decided to bring up that bedroom every year so that bedroom could grow up as she should have done.
“They were hit with bedroom tax, they had to pay tax to keep her memory alive.”
Mayor Paul Dennett described the posed amendment as a ‘political ploy’ by Councillor Garrido (of Worsley) due to the latency of only being given the amendment on Wednesday morning.
Mayor Paul Dennett said: “60p in every £1 we receive from central government has been taken from local government since 2010. Since 2010 53% has been taken away from the local authority, that is absolutely scandalous.
“This is the first time in 10 years that I’m proposing today a no cuts budget for the next financial year.”
Speaking on social care Mayor Paul Dennett said: “I went to the public meeting on care workers, what we know is that it’s going to cost us over 4 million pounds to bring up our care workers to the real living wage, that’s money we’ve not got and we won’t be able to do that in this budget.
“What horrified me was the stories of how having to work excessive hours is having on their lives, no time with children choosing between eating and eating being forced to work ridiculous amounts of hours just to make ends meet.”
The Mayor went on to say: “This is the reality of 21st century Britain, your budget amendment does no where near to actually improving their standing within our communities and within our neighbourhoods.”
Following the decision of the budget amendment Mayor Paul Dennett said: “Social workers will see some improvement in their pay but please note that is not a living wage, that is the national minimum wage.
“I’d like to go forward to paying £9.30 per hour so there’s more to be done, is all I’m saying on this agenda but we are making progress, we see our caseworkers as critical to the future of our city and will be seeking resources.
“In order to raise their pay to the real living wage, we do not have enough to be able to do that as well as pay for the budget pressures and the national minimum wage uplift from the 1st of April.”
The mayor’s budget plans to see an increase in funding in social care along with tackling issues such as fly-tipping, cleaner streets and homelessness.
There will also be a council tax increase of 3.99%, 2% of which is to meet targets regarding adult social care funding.
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