Local AM Helen Mary Jones and Plaid’s Parliamentary candidate for Llanelli Myfanwy Davies have expressed their anger over Carmarthen Council’s proposals to make massive cutbacks to the budgets for learning disabilities and services relating to special schools, as part of their big plans to make millions of savings over the next three years.
The plans to cut £460,000 per year from services to disabled young people are part of a series of proposals being looked at by the County council as part of their response to the huge cuts imposed by the London Government to the bank bail out.
Helen Mary and Myfanwy are very concerned about the impact such cuts could have on those with learning disabilities in Llanelli.
Plaid ‘s Helen Mary Jones said:
"These plans to make cuts to the learning disabilities budget are totally unacceptable. The council needs to undertake a Comprehensive Spending Review, so that they can then identify what services can be done without.
Services are already stretched, and it’s unfair that it’s our vulnerable people in Llanelli that have to suffer. As a result of cuts to the budget of Wales by the London Labour government, those services crucial to children and older people are already feeling the strain . Myfanwy and I are committed to protecting our essential services such as schools and hospitals.”
Plaid’s Parliamentary Candidate Myfanwy Davies added:
“These are servies that are absouloutely necessary to people in Llanelli. people with learning disabilities and their families just can’t be asked to do without proper support and education. Of course the county council has to make cuts, but we will not stand by while they cut services to the most vulnerable and continue to spend our money on non- essentials to include sponsporships, marketing and hospitality.
These cuts show all too plainly that the Council in Carmarthen is completely out of touch with our needs in Llanelli.”
Showing posts with label carmarthenshire county council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carmarthenshire county council. Show all posts
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Helen Mary and Myfanwy pleased as plans to shut care homes are shelved
Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones and Plaid's Parliamentary candidate for Llanelli Myfanwy Davies have expressed their delight that council plans to close Caemaen and St Paul’s residential homes in Llanelli have been shelved. Both Helen Mary and Myfanwy last week pledged their to support an action group that has been fighting hard against these closure plans.
The County Council had wanted to close the residential homes in order to finance new home care services but the plans made no provision for care while those services were being delivered and had no detail of the costs or savings to be made. The plans contained no detail about where residents who were too frail for home care would be housed , but officers’ remarks about empty beds in private care homes raised residents fears that they would be sent out of Council care.
Myfanwy travelled to Carmarthen in a convoy of two buses of protesters from Caemaen home yesterday and helped lobby councillors as they arrived for the meeting of the County Council’s Scrutiny Committee. During the meeting, members of the Plaid Cymru group time and again drew attention to the weakness of the report and warned about privatising care by stealth. To the protesters delight, the Plaid group insisted on a vote to reject the plans as they stand. However, a task and finish group will be convened to examine the plans in detail.
Plaid’s Helen Mary Jones said:
"I’m very pleased indeed that the Council’s Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee has rejected the proposal to shut St Paul’s and Caemaen. I am concerned however that the discussions of the task and finish group around the future of social care in Carmarthenshire should not end up coming to the same conclusions but behind closed doors.
There has been a great campaign in the community to support the care that’s being provided at Caemaen and St Paul’s, and both Myfanwy and I have been fully supportive of the hard work that's been going on. I will continue to support those campaigning to keep this provision available for the people who want it and need it.”
Myfanwy added:
“The Council’s plans were ill-conceived and it was quite right for the Plaid members of the scrutiny committee to reject them on those grounds. It is entirely wrong to make savings at the expense of our most vulnerable people but it seems the Council had not even calculated the costs and had not considered how residents would be cared for while the new accommodation was built.
Moving older people from their homes is distressing and some may not survive a move. I am very pleased that we have been able to win the first battle in this war. Our older people will not be sacrificed to the Council’s half-baked ideas about privatisation. "
The County Council had wanted to close the residential homes in order to finance new home care services but the plans made no provision for care while those services were being delivered and had no detail of the costs or savings to be made. The plans contained no detail about where residents who were too frail for home care would be housed , but officers’ remarks about empty beds in private care homes raised residents fears that they would be sent out of Council care.
Myfanwy travelled to Carmarthen in a convoy of two buses of protesters from Caemaen home yesterday and helped lobby councillors as they arrived for the meeting of the County Council’s Scrutiny Committee. During the meeting, members of the Plaid Cymru group time and again drew attention to the weakness of the report and warned about privatising care by stealth. To the protesters delight, the Plaid group insisted on a vote to reject the plans as they stand. However, a task and finish group will be convened to examine the plans in detail.
Plaid’s Helen Mary Jones said:
"I’m very pleased indeed that the Council’s Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee has rejected the proposal to shut St Paul’s and Caemaen. I am concerned however that the discussions of the task and finish group around the future of social care in Carmarthenshire should not end up coming to the same conclusions but behind closed doors.
There has been a great campaign in the community to support the care that’s being provided at Caemaen and St Paul’s, and both Myfanwy and I have been fully supportive of the hard work that's been going on. I will continue to support those campaigning to keep this provision available for the people who want it and need it.”
Myfanwy added:
“The Council’s plans were ill-conceived and it was quite right for the Plaid members of the scrutiny committee to reject them on those grounds. It is entirely wrong to make savings at the expense of our most vulnerable people but it seems the Council had not even calculated the costs and had not considered how residents would be cared for while the new accommodation was built.
Moving older people from their homes is distressing and some may not survive a move. I am very pleased that we have been able to win the first battle in this war. Our older people will not be sacrificed to the Council’s half-baked ideas about privatisation. "
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Helen Mary and Myfanwy slam fake consulation on Council’s plan for Llanelli's older people
Following a packed meeting at Caemaen Residential Homes last night, Helen Mary Jones AM and Plaid Westminster candidate Myfanwy Davies, have condemned the way in which the consultation has been conducted by officers and demanded that Pat Jones, the executive member in charge of social care take responsibility for her decision and the conduct of the consultation.
Last week the Llanelli Star reported on council plans to close Caemaen and St Pauls’ residential homes in Llanelli. Responding to this news, Myfanwy and Helen Mary sought and received a reassurance from Bruce McLearnon, Carmarthen’s Director of Social Services who claimed in a letter, that all options were open and that no decision had yet been made on closing the homes.
Nonetheless, yesterday evening Bruce McLearnon supported by Sheila Porter as Director of Integrated Services, affirmed that his preferred plan was for the closure of Caemaen and the development of support services at home known as ‘extra care’. Ms Porter, who was recently employed by the County and who had developed “extra care’ programmes in Bromley vociferously supported his position many times silencing residents and their families in order to advocate this contentious model of care which is associated with failure in England.
Throughout the meeting, the Director also emphasised the need to cut costs as a primary motivator for the plan. Residents and families at the packed meeting were vigorously opposed to closure with residents making a unanimous show of hands in support of staying at Caemaen.
Plaid’s Helen Mary Jones said:
“Myfanwy and I had been assured that all options were open. It is clear that they are not insofar as Carmarthen Council is concerned and it is also clear that these decisions are being made for financial reasons. Yes, there is less money available and some of those MPs who voted to bail out the banks need to look carefully at their consciences now, but Carmarthen Council still finds funds for showcase projects and for its own publicity.”
“It is unacceptable that officials have sought to mislead families and residents by suggesting that Caemaen contravenes care standards by not having en-suite facilities. That is not the case. During the meeting, officials sought to suggest their plans were in some way intended to protect older people’s dignity. Those residents present made their views known by a unanimous show of hands, how much dignity does it afford any of us that their wished are denied?”
Myfanwy added:
“After receiving assurances from Mr McLearnon, Helen Mary and I went to the meeting with open minds. It is now clear that Carmarthen Council’s mind is already made up. Indeed when residents and families asked whether their opposition had made any difference at all to the Director’s view, he replied that it had not. That in itself is shocking proof of the need for Burry Port Labour Councillor Pat Jones, the lead on Social Care to stand up and take political responsibility for her decision and the conduct of her officers.”
“In general, I would support plans that keep people at home and independent where that are properly supported but there are sadly few examples of these plans working. We heard last night how residents in Caemaen had not been able to stay at home with existing home care support and had in some cases suffered serious neglect within home care. It is just not acceptable that older people should be moved against their will”.
Myfanwy and Helen Mary have pledged to support an action group that will fight these closure plans.
Last week the Llanelli Star reported on council plans to close Caemaen and St Pauls’ residential homes in Llanelli. Responding to this news, Myfanwy and Helen Mary sought and received a reassurance from Bruce McLearnon, Carmarthen’s Director of Social Services who claimed in a letter, that all options were open and that no decision had yet been made on closing the homes.
Nonetheless, yesterday evening Bruce McLearnon supported by Sheila Porter as Director of Integrated Services, affirmed that his preferred plan was for the closure of Caemaen and the development of support services at home known as ‘extra care’. Ms Porter, who was recently employed by the County and who had developed “extra care’ programmes in Bromley vociferously supported his position many times silencing residents and their families in order to advocate this contentious model of care which is associated with failure in England.
Throughout the meeting, the Director also emphasised the need to cut costs as a primary motivator for the plan. Residents and families at the packed meeting were vigorously opposed to closure with residents making a unanimous show of hands in support of staying at Caemaen.
Plaid’s Helen Mary Jones said:
“Myfanwy and I had been assured that all options were open. It is clear that they are not insofar as Carmarthen Council is concerned and it is also clear that these decisions are being made for financial reasons. Yes, there is less money available and some of those MPs who voted to bail out the banks need to look carefully at their consciences now, but Carmarthen Council still finds funds for showcase projects and for its own publicity.”
“It is unacceptable that officials have sought to mislead families and residents by suggesting that Caemaen contravenes care standards by not having en-suite facilities. That is not the case. During the meeting, officials sought to suggest their plans were in some way intended to protect older people’s dignity. Those residents present made their views known by a unanimous show of hands, how much dignity does it afford any of us that their wished are denied?”
Myfanwy added:
“After receiving assurances from Mr McLearnon, Helen Mary and I went to the meeting with open minds. It is now clear that Carmarthen Council’s mind is already made up. Indeed when residents and families asked whether their opposition had made any difference at all to the Director’s view, he replied that it had not. That in itself is shocking proof of the need for Burry Port Labour Councillor Pat Jones, the lead on Social Care to stand up and take political responsibility for her decision and the conduct of her officers.”
“In general, I would support plans that keep people at home and independent where that are properly supported but there are sadly few examples of these plans working. We heard last night how residents in Caemaen had not been able to stay at home with existing home care support and had in some cases suffered serious neglect within home care. It is just not acceptable that older people should be moved against their will”.
Myfanwy and Helen Mary have pledged to support an action group that will fight these closure plans.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Helen Mary and Myfanwy slam fake consulation on council’s plan for Llanelli older people
Following a packed meeting at Caemaen Residential Homes last night, Helen Mary Jones AM and Plaid Westminster candidate Myfanwy Davies, have condemned the way in which the consultation has been conducted by officers and demanded that Pat Jones, the executive member in charge of social care take responsibility for her decision and the conduct of the consultation.
Last week the Llanelli Star reported on council plans to close Caemaen and St Pauls’ residential homes in Llanelli. Responding to this news, Myfanwy and Helen Mary sought and received a reassurance from Bruce McLearnon, Carmarthen’s Director of Social Services who claimed in a letter, that all options were open and that no decision had yet been made on closing the homes.
Nonetheless, yesterday evening Bruce McLearnon supported by Sheila Porter as Director of Integrated Services, affirmed that his preferred plan was for the closure of Caemaen and the development of support services at home known as ‘extra care’.
Throughout the meeting, the Director also emphasised the need to cut costs as a primary motivator for the plan. Residents and families at the packed meeting were vigorously opposed to closure with residents making a unanimous show of hands in support of staying at Caemaen.
Plaid’s Helen Mary Jones said:
“Myfanwy and I had been assured that all options were open. It is clear that they are not insofar as Carmarthen Council is concerned and it is also clear that these decisions are being made for financial reasons. Yes, there is less money available and some of those MPs who voted to bail out the banks need to look carefully at their consciences now, but Carmarthen Council still finds funds for showcase projects and for its own publicity.”
“It is unacceptable that officials have sought to mislead families and residents by suggesting that Caemaen contravenes care standards by not having en-suite facilities. That is not the case. During the meeting, officials sought to suggest their plans were in some way intended to protect older people’s dignity. Those residents present made their views known by a unanimous show of hands, how much dignity does it afford any of us that their wished are denied?”
Myfanwy added:
“After receiving assurances from Mr McLearnon, Helen Mary and I went to the meeting with open minds. It is now clear that Carmarthen Council’s mind is already made up. Indeed when residents and families asked whether their opposition had made any difference at all to the Director’s view, he replied that it had not. That in itself is shocking proof of the need for Burry Port Labour Councillor Pat Jones, the lead on Social Care to stand up and take political responsibility for her decision and the conduct of her officers.”
“In general, I would support plans that keep people at home and independent where that are properly supported but there are sadly few examples of these plans working. We heard last night how residents in Caemaen had not been able to stay at home with existing home care support and had in some cases suffered serious neglect within home care. It is just not acceptable that older people should be moved against their will”.
Myfanwy and Helen Mary have pledged to support an action group that will fight these closure plans.
Last week the Llanelli Star reported on council plans to close Caemaen and St Pauls’ residential homes in Llanelli. Responding to this news, Myfanwy and Helen Mary sought and received a reassurance from Bruce McLearnon, Carmarthen’s Director of Social Services who claimed in a letter, that all options were open and that no decision had yet been made on closing the homes.
Nonetheless, yesterday evening Bruce McLearnon supported by Sheila Porter as Director of Integrated Services, affirmed that his preferred plan was for the closure of Caemaen and the development of support services at home known as ‘extra care’.
Throughout the meeting, the Director also emphasised the need to cut costs as a primary motivator for the plan. Residents and families at the packed meeting were vigorously opposed to closure with residents making a unanimous show of hands in support of staying at Caemaen.
Plaid’s Helen Mary Jones said:
“Myfanwy and I had been assured that all options were open. It is clear that they are not insofar as Carmarthen Council is concerned and it is also clear that these decisions are being made for financial reasons. Yes, there is less money available and some of those MPs who voted to bail out the banks need to look carefully at their consciences now, but Carmarthen Council still finds funds for showcase projects and for its own publicity.”
“It is unacceptable that officials have sought to mislead families and residents by suggesting that Caemaen contravenes care standards by not having en-suite facilities. That is not the case. During the meeting, officials sought to suggest their plans were in some way intended to protect older people’s dignity. Those residents present made their views known by a unanimous show of hands, how much dignity does it afford any of us that their wished are denied?”
Myfanwy added:
“After receiving assurances from Mr McLearnon, Helen Mary and I went to the meeting with open minds. It is now clear that Carmarthen Council’s mind is already made up. Indeed when residents and families asked whether their opposition had made any difference at all to the Director’s view, he replied that it had not. That in itself is shocking proof of the need for Burry Port Labour Councillor Pat Jones, the lead on Social Care to stand up and take political responsibility for her decision and the conduct of her officers.”
“In general, I would support plans that keep people at home and independent where that are properly supported but there are sadly few examples of these plans working. We heard last night how residents in Caemaen had not been able to stay at home with existing home care support and had in some cases suffered serious neglect within home care. It is just not acceptable that older people should be moved against their will”.
Myfanwy and Helen Mary have pledged to support an action group that will fight these closure plans.
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Myfanwy and Helen Mary fight against County’s puppy farm shame
Puppy farms in Carmarthenshire are keeping dogs in cruel and dirty conditions, says Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s Llanelli Westminster candidate. Following a recent Channel 5 film on unacceptable conditions at puppy farms that had been visited and given licences by Carmarthenshire County Council, Myfanwy has joined forces with Helen Mary Jones Llanelli’s Plaid AM, to tighten up the Council’s control of puppy farming.
Myfanwy has written to Helen Mary asking her to raise the matter with Elin Jones the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Rural Affaris. In her letter Myfanwy explained:
“I am concerned that the Council’s inspection practices are inadequate and require scrutiny especially given Carmarthenshire’s history as a centre for licensed (and also unlicensed) puppy farming. In its response to the programme, the Council also indicates it would be willing to revise its license conditions if required to do so by Welsh Assembly Government Ministers”.
Speaking this week, Myfanwy added:
“ I am very pleased that a pet superstore that has been buying puppies from these farms has agreed to stop sourcing puppies from them. I am disappointed by the Council’s response. It is shocking that council inspectors visited and passed those puppy farms shown in the film and I hope that the response Helen Mary’s receives from Elin Jones will help clarify the standards of animal welfare that the council needs to ensure”.
Helen Mary Jones added:
“I have seen a recording of the Channel 5 news item since Myfanwy contacted me and it raises some very worrying issues about animal welfare standards in the County. I am pleased Myfanwy has raised this with me and I will be discussing the issue with Elin Jones within the next weeks to make sure that the standards followed are made clearer and if needed are changed protect dogs and puppies from the levels of neglect shown in the film.”
Myfanwy has written to Helen Mary asking her to raise the matter with Elin Jones the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Rural Affaris. In her letter Myfanwy explained:
“I am concerned that the Council’s inspection practices are inadequate and require scrutiny especially given Carmarthenshire’s history as a centre for licensed (and also unlicensed) puppy farming. In its response to the programme, the Council also indicates it would be willing to revise its license conditions if required to do so by Welsh Assembly Government Ministers”.
Speaking this week, Myfanwy added:
“ I am very pleased that a pet superstore that has been buying puppies from these farms has agreed to stop sourcing puppies from them. I am disappointed by the Council’s response. It is shocking that council inspectors visited and passed those puppy farms shown in the film and I hope that the response Helen Mary’s receives from Elin Jones will help clarify the standards of animal welfare that the council needs to ensure”.
Helen Mary Jones added:
“I have seen a recording of the Channel 5 news item since Myfanwy contacted me and it raises some very worrying issues about animal welfare standards in the County. I am pleased Myfanwy has raised this with me and I will be discussing the issue with Elin Jones within the next weeks to make sure that the standards followed are made clearer and if needed are changed protect dogs and puppies from the levels of neglect shown in the film.”
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