Medway Conservatives are tonight salivating at the prospect of inflicting cuts onto public services and support that the Council provides to its residents.
In what is a fortaste of a possible Conservative government, this blog can report that local Conservatives are targeting the most vulnerable in our community for punitive and regressive cuts in services.
Despite millions of pounds squandered on road fiasco's and the demolition of the Strood Civic Centre they have rubber stamped a punitive charge on all safety checks for adults who work with vulnerable children.
As this blog understands; Council staff have been left aghast as the Conservative scythe cut through the funding. The Tories have now moved to a position where foster carers and adoptive parents, as well as council employees, will have to fund the cost of their ‘ISA’, the Independent Safeguarding Authority check, before working with children.
This regressive Conservative policy could mean even fewer people coming forward to work in these areas, which are facing problems recruiting and retaining people already.
Cllr Vince Maple, Labour Spokesperson for Employment Matters said,
“I thought that the report would go through, and cannot believe that the Tories are genuinely proposing that foster parents and people who are adopting should pay their own costs. It may be ‘only’ £28, but there should be no costs attached to these selfless actions.”
“These checks are important, to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. It is a matter of principle that we should pay these ISA costs, to both protect people, and no ensure there are no barriers to people volunteering to care for others.”
This blog believes that the Conservatives should urgently reconsider this issue and to agree to fully fund the cost of the ISA checks for current and future employees for the following reasons
It is unfair, regressive, vindictive, uncaring and unreasonable for the Council to pass on this charge which is required by law and which employees have no choice but to pay if the Council does not.
It takes no account of the fact that Council Services run on the good will and co operation of very loyal and hard working staff and that whilst for some people the amount will not cause any hardship but it will for others, and for all employees it’s the principle. The feeling is that Medway Conservatives are doing this because they can and that it is taking an advantage too far of staff.
In what is a fortaste of a possible Conservative government, this blog can report that local Conservatives are targeting the most vulnerable in our community for punitive and regressive cuts in services.
Despite millions of pounds squandered on road fiasco's and the demolition of the Strood Civic Centre they have rubber stamped a punitive charge on all safety checks for adults who work with vulnerable children.
As this blog understands; Council staff have been left aghast as the Conservative scythe cut through the funding. The Tories have now moved to a position where foster carers and adoptive parents, as well as council employees, will have to fund the cost of their ‘ISA’, the Independent Safeguarding Authority check, before working with children.
This regressive Conservative policy could mean even fewer people coming forward to work in these areas, which are facing problems recruiting and retaining people already.
Cllr Vince Maple, Labour Spokesperson for Employment Matters said,
“I thought that the report would go through, and cannot believe that the Tories are genuinely proposing that foster parents and people who are adopting should pay their own costs. It may be ‘only’ £28, but there should be no costs attached to these selfless actions.”
“These checks are important, to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. It is a matter of principle that we should pay these ISA costs, to both protect people, and no ensure there are no barriers to people volunteering to care for others.”
This blog believes that the Conservatives should urgently reconsider this issue and to agree to fully fund the cost of the ISA checks for current and future employees for the following reasons
It is unfair, regressive, vindictive, uncaring and unreasonable for the Council to pass on this charge which is required by law and which employees have no choice but to pay if the Council does not.
It takes no account of the fact that Council Services run on the good will and co operation of very loyal and hard working staff and that whilst for some people the amount will not cause any hardship but it will for others, and for all employees it’s the principle. The feeling is that Medway Conservatives are doing this because they can and that it is taking an advantage too far of staff.
Poor show from an administration which is happy to squander millions on unwanted road schemes on Chatham highstreet, but nothing on those who care for vulnerable children.
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