Agenda item

The Leader of the Council provided the Council with an update of the business transacted at meetings of the Cabinet held on 11 and 18 September and 9 October 2013.

Councillor Shuttleworth referred to the review of in-house residential care homes and a Cabinet report in 2010 which committed to continue long term residential care at Stanhope and 4 other locations within County Durham.  He referred to Stanhope not having alternative care providers and suggested that residents of Weardale were not being treated equally with those in the rest of the County.  Councillor Shuttleworth made reference to the sale of Windlestone Hall and the loan by the Council to the Durham County Cricket Club and stressed that the duty of the Council was to look after the young and old within the County.

The Leader of the Council replied that since 2010 the County Council had made cuts of £110m and was facing further cuts of £100m due to Government grant reductions, and as such, all Service areas were being reviewed.  A consultation exercise on in-house residential care provision was currently taking place, which would run for three months from 17 October 2013.  All views from the consultation, and geographical issues, would be taken into consideration when reaching a decision.  The Weardale area of the County was treated equally with the rest of the County, for example Weardale AAP received the same budget as other AAP’s, despite its lower population.  The loan to the Durham County Cricket Club which was a capital loan and had resulted in a successful Ashes Test match at the Club which had brought extensive publicity for the County.  The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Safer and Healthier Communities encouraged people to take part in the current consultation.

Councillor Wilkes referred to the review of the School Crossing Patrol Service which had recommended the removal of lunchtime provision where it was known that children no longer used the crossing facilities during the lunchtime period and asked how many other services the Council was providing were not used.  The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods and Local Partnerships replied that the School Crossing Patrol Service was currently out to consultation, following which a report would be submitted to Cabinet.