Agenda item

Whilst this Council welcomes the recent moderate funding increase announced by the Government to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the NHS it notes with some concern that opportunities to improve Social Care have been missed again. We find this particularly disappointing when Government itself has clearly recognised the link between the health and social care sectors with the creation of the Cabinet post of Secretary of Health and Social Care.

In the Council's opinion social care is and remains an integral and crucial element to providing safe, effective and timely care in the NHS and the wider health and social care sectors. Furthermore it is Council's view that social care requires 'parity of esteem', a long term funding solution and support, like NHS funding, from central taxation.

Council's also notes that future funding for social care in the City cannot continue to be passed onto communities in the form of the Social Care Precept. This Council therefore calls on Government to seek to introduce a single ring-fenced tax for health and social care in line with the recently produced report 'Health and Social Care - Delivering a Secure Funding Future'. This single tax would replace the current National Insurance taxation and provisions and would be fairer, transparent and equitable.

Furthermore this Council calls on Government to seek to introduce an independent Office of Budget Responsibility of Health and Social Care who would oversee and be responsible for the spending of this ring-fenced tax.

Finally, it is the view of this Council that only such radical proposals will secure the future of the NHS for a further thirty years and help bring to an end the prolonged period of underfunding for and neglect of Social Care.

It was moved by Councillor Lay, seconded by Councillor D Blackburn that whilst this Council welcomes the recent moderate funding increase announced by the Government to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the NHS it notes with some concern that opportunities to improve Social Care have been missed again. We find this particularly disappointing when Government itself has clearly recognised the link between the health and social care sectors with the creation of the Cabinet post of Secretary of Health and Social Care.

In the Council's opinion social care is and remains an integral and crucial element to providing safe, effective and timely care in the NHS and the wider health and social care sectors. Furthermore it is Council's view that social care requires 'parity of esteem', a long term funding solution and support, like NHS funding, from central taxation.

Council's also notes that future funding for social care in the City cannot continue to be passed onto communities in the form of the Social Care Precept. This Council therefore calls on Government to seek to introduce a single ring-fenced tax for health and social care in line with the recently produced report 'Health and Social Care - Delivering a Secure Funding Future'. This single tax would replace the current National Insurance taxation and provisions and would be fairer, transparent and equitable.

Furthermore this Council calls on Government to seek to introduce an independent Office of Budget Responsibility of Health and Social Care who would oversee and be responsible for the spending of this ring-fenced tax.

Finally, it is the view of this Council that only such radical proposals will secure the future of the NHS for a further thirty years and help bring to an end the prolonged period of underfunding for and neglect of Social Care.

An amendment was moved by Councillor C Anderson, seconded by Councillor Robinson

Delete all and replace with:

This Council welcomes the recent funding increase announced by the Government to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the NHS, this will provide over £20 billion a year extra in real terms by 2023/4 including funds returned from Brussels after Brexit to invest in our public services.

Council recognises that for the vast majority of its 70 year existence the NHS has been under the stewardship of a Conservative Government and the latest funding announcement will mean that moving forward the NHS will have record funding levels.

In the Council's opinion social care is and remains an integral and crucial element to providing safe, effective and timely care in the NHS and the wider health and social care sectors and believes that more work is needed on delivering a long term solution on social care funding.

Council notes that future funding for social care in the City cannot continue to be sought in the form of the Social Care Precept and a more innovative solution is required to deliver greater certainty to local authorities around expected funding levels over the medium to long term.

Finally, it is the view of this Council that all options should be considered in order to secure the future funding of Social Care in Leeds and the wider country.

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Charlwood, seconded by Councillor J Lewis

Delete All after “wider health and social care sectors” and replace with:

Council believes local authorities are best placed to deliver innovations, as demonstrated by the establishment of intermediate care facilities at The Green and in other locations, as well as work to facilitate timely discharges and avoid hospital admissions through establishing the frailty unit, investing in reablement services and in the health of the citizens of Leeds.

This Council believes responsibility for the delivery of Social Care should remain with local authorities. Council calls on the Government to properly fund local authorities to enable excellence in both Social Care and the NHS for the next 70 years. 

This Council therefore supports the call by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services for an extra £3bn to be made available nationally for adult social services by 2020, which is the equivalent of an extra £45m for services in Leeds.

The amendment in the name of Councillor C Anderson was declared lost and upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED – That whilst this Council welcomes the recent moderate funding increase announced by the Government to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the NHS it notes with some concern that opportunities to improve Social Care have been missed again. We find this particularly disappointing when Government itself has clearly recognised the link between the health and social care sectors with the creation of the Cabinet post of Secretary of Health and Social Care.

In this Council's opinion Social Care is and remains an integral and crucial element to providing safe, effective and timely care in the NHS and the wider health and social care sectors.

Council believes local authorities are best placed to deliver innovations, as demonstrated by the establishment of intermediate care facilities at The Green and in other locations, as well as work to facilitate timely discharges and avoid hospital admissions through establishing the frailty unit, investing in reablement services and in the health of the citizens of Leeds.

This Council believes responsibility for the delivery of Social Care should remain with local authorities. Council calls on the Government to properly fund local authorities to enable excellence in both Social Care and the NHS for the next 70 years. 

This Council therefore supports the call by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services for an extra £3bn to be made available nationally for adult social services by 2020, which is the equivalent of an extra £45m for services in Leeds.