'Even council tax hikes won't pay for social care'

COUNCIL LEADER'S WARNING ON BUDGET

- ALISON STEPHENSON

THE leader of the Labour-run Plymouth City Council says raising council tax to its maximum in the city will not pay for social care which he claims is being “smashed apart” by the government.

Leader of the council, Tudor Evans (Lab, Ham) has criticised the government’s proposed 6.5% funding rise for councils which he says will go nowhere near addressing the problems local government is facing following years of underfunding and demand in the adult social care sector and children’s services.

“The increase is in fact a decrease when you take inflation into account and it’s the poor old local taxpayer once again who is being asked to put their hands in their pockets and make up the difference,” he said.

“The sad fact is this settlement is so low that that won’t make up the difference, some of it but not all.”