LATEST NEWS

The next stage!  The Fight Goes On!

Lambeth Council consults on budget for 2008-2009

Lambeth Council has started a consultation on how it should spend its budget in the next financial year - 2008-2009.  The deadline for the 1st stage of this is 14th SEPTEMBER.  If you live or work in Lambeth you can make your views known - if that includes YOU and you want to tell the Council that providing services to vulnerable adults is a priority, go to the Have Your Say page to find out more!

The campaign to save local services for vulnerable adults and carers continues

A huge ‘thank you’ to over 450 people who came on the march on 28th February, to the 250 who came out again on 30th July,  and those who collected signatures for the Lambeth SOS petition.  So far over 8,000 signatures have been collected – that’s a lot more than the 800 people Lambeth consulted with on how to set it’s budget.

Eligibility rules unchanged but charges incresed masssively

Despite protests from 250 people who marched to the town Hall for Lambeth's Cabinet meeting on Monday 30th July, the Council decided to increase charges from 1st September by 132% and by another 14% from April 2008.  But the Council did back down on plans to restrict eligibilty for services and this proposal will now not go ahead.  You can read waht the Cabinet meeting decided by going to the Council's website at http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/HealthSocialCare/ACSBudget.htm

Meeting at House of Commons

Members of the SOS Campaign and Lambeth Pensioners Action Group met with Councillors Reed and Anyanwu at a meeting hosted by Kate Hoey MP at the House of Commons on 10th July.  Whilst maintaining their opposition to the increases in charges and cuts to the voluntary sector, the SOS campaign agreed to work with the Council to highlight Lambeth's funding issues with the Government. 

Cuts to the voluntary sector go ahead

The Council began to implement its cuts to the voluntary sector from 1st July.  28 organisations have been affected including specialist and BME groups.  More details on the 'Voluntary Sector Cuts' page.

Council set to back down on changes to eligibility criteria

The Council has said that it has 'listened' to what people people had to say about its paln to restrict eligibility for social care services to only those people in 'critical' need.  For more details go to the 'Changes to Eligibility' page.

Response to the Council's consultation

The formal consultation on the Council's plans to restrict eligibility for social care services and to increase charges ended on 4th June.  There was only one message - the plans to change the eligibility and to massively increase charges were wrong!   You can find details of the response in a report at the following link:

http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/HealthSocialCare/ACSBudget.htm.

Council backs down on new day centre charge

The Council has confirmed that it will not now introduce a new day centre charge of £35 per day.  It will also not be increasing the current maximum charge of £300 per week.  We now need the Council keep any increase in homecare charges reasonable and as small as possible.

Keep Signing our petition

Sign the petition here!

 

Download the Lambeth SOS information leaflet here.