Funding for Age UK day clubs in York 'could have been saved'

It follows York Council’s decision not to renew its contract with Age UK York for the day clubs following its expiry in September.

Liberal Democrat opposition group leader Cllr Nigel Ayre said the ending of those and other social care contracts had unnecessarily saved £110,000 more than set out in the council’s budget.

But Labour council leader Cllr Claire Douglas said the authority was struggling to fund basic care services while Age UK York had offered some day club places since the contract’s expiry.

Claire Douglas

The row comes as councillors are set to debate the decision at the authority’s full meeting on Thursday, November 21.

It follows a decision of the council’s Executive to put two contracts worth a combined £227,000 out to tender to support early intervention and prevention in adult social care.

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It also comes alongside the launch of a new dementia service backed by £140,000 in council funding which is set to support to those with the condition and their families.

But councillors who later examined the decision heard it came alongside £450,439 savings set to be made by 2026 by ending care contracts or reducing spending on them.

Liberal Democrat councillors have said the amount is greater than the £339,000 in cuts agreed when the council set its budget in February.

Speaking at a call-in meeting which examined October’s decision, Liberal Democrats Cllr Carol Runciman and Cllr Christian Vassie said alternative measures should have been outlined and considered.

Cllr Nigel Ayre

Cllr Douglas said in October’s meeting budget cuts had been outlined publicly and she did not recognise claims there had been an over-achievement of savings.

Cllr Katie Lomas and Lucy Steels-Walshaw, Labour executive members for finance and social care respectively, told the call-in meeting they had detailed discussions with council officers before making the decision.

They added the savings came amid mounting pressure on the social care system which made it increasingly difficult to fund services the council is legally required to provide.

The executive members said this meant council officers had to continuously look at ways to make sure services were funded.

Cllr Ayre said those savings had been made by ending contracts which offered vital support to the elderly and others.

The Liberal Democrat opposition leader said: “While we never supported this, the executive achieved this saving early in the financial year.

“To axe further contracts was unnecessary and wrong.

“Those vulnerable residents deserved better than this short notice, ill thought out damaging and unnecessary cut.”

Ruling Labour’s leader Cllr Douglas said Age UK York had since approved four new day clubs offering around two thirds of the 172 places previously available.

She added the council continued to jointly fund dementia day clubs and local area co-ordinators could offer support for those looking for alternative social activities.

Cllr Douglas said: “The council has met its savings target on community contracts, agreed for this year’s budget.

“At a time when the council is struggling to fund even statutory adult social care services, Liberal Democrats in opposition continue to advocate spending money the council simply doesn’t have.

“This partly explains the financial mess we inherited from a party who proposed a budget that funded permanent services with single year funding, their whole approach is a recipe for disaster.”

A motion tabled by Liberal Democrat Cllr Ashley Mason for Thursday’s full council meeting claims funding for Age UK York day clubs could have been spared from the wider savings.

The motion stated the ending of funding came as charities and other organisations faced being hit with hikes to employer National Insurance contributions and calls for them to be exempt.