Our Caring Council
I am writing to you regarding changes that are to take place, in order, to make a saving of some £6m in the Council Budget.
I do not believe that sufficient consultation has taken place and many residents like myself are aware of some changes but are not cognisant of exact details. There are also Service Users who have not been consulted directly and are unaware of changes to take place. I was alerted to this fact on 29th February when a distressed member, (Parkinson Society) had just heard that the Night Centre which his wife attends three nights weekly, is to close shortly. This lady does not attend the Night Centre; three times weekly to allow her husband to go out on the town but to allow him three nights undisturbed sleep. This gives him the energy to continue to care for his wife. Without this short respite, he is less likely to be able to continue in his role as full time Carer. This member is in fact not 100% fit himself and is awaiting an operation. He is absolute distraught as to how he will cope unless he continues to get the minimum of three nights sleep per week.
Furthermore an article in another local free newspaper this week, highlights the plight of a disabled woman, who is often left alone for many hours without food, drink or the ability to get herself to the bathroom. I regret to say that I am quite certain that she is one of many old and disabled folk who are suffering such neglect.
I have several years personal experience of a Care Package put in place for disabled people. My late husband became paralysed following a fall in December 2002. A Care Package was put in place ready for his discharge from hospital in May 2003. Carers came in pairs, three times daily, from then until December 2006 when my husband passed away.
We saw many different Carers from various Agencies. (Care Partners Trust contract a lot of work to other local agencies.)
We had a few Carers who were really excellent; they were gentle, considerate and highly efficient. Many Carers did a reasonable job, whilst others were often uncaring, inept, insensitive or simply refused to comply with the instructions in my husband’s Care Plan. After the latter had left, my husband would say “The treat me like a lump of meat on a slab.”
In particular we began to dread weekends when regular Carers were not available. Morning Carers (to get my husband up) could arrive any time between 6am and 2pm. Often the lunchtime Carers had to get my husband up as no one had arrived.
I have had to call the Out of Hours service many times at night because nobody had arrived to put my husband to bed. On one occasion just prior to my husbands death even the Out of Hours staff did not turn up and at midnight in desperation I dialled 999 and asked ambulance staff to help me as my husband was in great pain. I believe they made a complaint at the time. I have lost count of the number of Carers that I have taught how to use the hoist. I have made numerous complaints both verbal and written to Care Partners Trust.
The Training Officer for London of the Parkinson’s Disease Society wrote to the Chief Executive of Care Partners Trust recently. Training was available to Professional Carers to enable them to understand the very specific needs of people with Parkinson’s. Sadly this opportunity was not seized upon.
My husband was eventually granted Continuing Care because of the severity of his condition. We were reimbursed the money we had paid for Carers services. However to this day, no reimbursement has been made for his Respite Care fees.
Regarding Meals on Wheels I believe this can be a life saving service. Many of our members live alone and do not see anyone else for perhaps, days, weeks and even months except the person who brings their meals. They could fall, be severely injured and not be able to contact anyone.
I would like to point out the wonderful service my husband was given and the support I received from the District Nurses who visited twice weekly and also for the invaluable advice received from the Parkinson’s Disease Nurse Specialist Mrs S. Phillips.
I appeal on behalf of members of this Branch that the Consultation Document, with a full explanation of the cuts envisaged, should be sent to Service Users and publicised widely. The date of the end of the Consultation period needs to be extended to allow residents of Bexley to be fully informed which at present they are not.
Pam Childs - Bexleyheath
• My wife and I helped to nurse my mother through her last year when she died from Motor Neurone disease. Everything Pam says about carers we witnessed. To get respite during meal periods we engaged professional carers from an agency only to discover our wonderful Treasury made us pay VAT on their hourly fees because, wait for it, they were described as being servants! Also when our son Andrew died of cancer when he was thirteen no-one from the MacMillan Nurses or Marie Cure or anyone else for that matter offered us help or advice except for the wonderful Sister Kenton at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, God bless her. Ed
Good news for Bexley
It was good to read the Bexley Chronicle this week, but we were concerned to note that Ken Livingstone is continuing to claim that he has provided extra police for London (“Mayor’s Budget - good news for Bexley,” March 2008).
Ken Livingstone is once again taking credit for other people’s hard work. Funding for the thousand extra police in London has come largely from central government or the London Boroughs themselves: it is the people of Bexley rather than the Mayor’s largesse that are providing Bobbies on the beat.
If it were not for Government and borough funding, Ken’s budget would have resulted in the loss of 525 police officers. What is more, most of these police are being deployed on counter-terrorism operations rather than policing Bexley or Bromley.
The Mayor has himself admitted that the British Crime Survey (which his own office says is a reliable source of crime statistics) shows that crime levels in London remain unchanged since he came into office, yet four years ago he promised to halve crime in London or step down: another promise Ken has broken.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives yesterday announced plans for policing trains and busses that fall completely outside the powers of the Mayor and London Assembly. This is a blatant attempt by Boris Johnson to try to trick residents of Bexley who may not know the limits of the mayor’s authority. A far more telling statistic is that during the 18 years of the last Tory government the number of police in Britain fell while the crime rate soared.
The Liberal Democrats are now the only party offering real solutions to crime in London. Nick Clegg has promised to scrap Labour’s useless ID card scheme and spend the money on 10,000 more police instead: the equivalent of 3 more officers for every ward in Bexley and every other London borough. Meanwhile, former Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick has promised that if elected Mayor he will reduce crime by 20 per cent in his first term in office or he will not stand again - a promise that he, unlike Ken, will keep.
It is a disgrace that Ken and Boris are attempting to trick their way into office at the expense of the people of Bexley.
Cllr. Tom Papworth/Duncan Borrowman
Liberal Democrat candidate Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Bexley and Bromley GLA , Old Bexley and Sidcup
Tory manifesto
At the Local Election in 2007, I said to myself “If we had a change of party, Bexley would be a lot better off”, especially with the Tories manifesto. How wrong could I be. Leader of the Council Cllr. Ian Clement talks about his vision which is??? He listens to the voice of the Residents! If this is so, apart from the Government giving him 2% less money, why has the 63 Councillors given themselves backdated pay to May 2007 - Total of £5,736.15 plus additional expense allowances. Money should be used for the residents, thereby stopping all the proposed cuts in Services, and increases in Parking Charges, Leisure Centres etc. in fact anything that helps and gives a better quality of life to many residents regardless of sex or age.
These cut backs affect the poor, children, elderly, disabled and vunerable residents. This Council is a money grabbing Council. Would I pay extra Council Tax for better services - Certainly not - Why should one line the pockets of the Councillors at the expense of the poor and vulnerable people of Bexley . “Is this a touch of Derek Conway”?? What with these cuts and the cuts imposed by Bexley Care Trust. What has Bexley got - Nothing. Would I trust them - NO! As for the Chief Executive who made a speedy recovery to find another job, “Was he given a nice Golden Handshake” I wonder. I know who NOT TO VOTE for at the next Election. Not Labour, Tories or Liberal Democrats.
A very disappointed resident.
JJ Rouse - Sidcup.
We need our hospital
And will Queen Mary’s die?
And will Queen Mary’s die?
There’s 50,000 Sidcopians will know the reason why.
With apologies,
Arthur C. Sheldon, - Sidcup
Churnalists!
Thank you for giving us news each month that we are not getting from other local papers. The Chronicle is a welcome change from news editors who rely on churnalism ie. Reporters have given up old fashioned journalism. Is news generally dumbed down by order of news corporations and their accountants?. Local papers in-boxes are filled by mass spin from local councils. Politicians and quangocratic PR “statements” get printed by the papers. This churnalism leaves gaps in our knowledge of what goes on under our noses. What do we make of simplistic, one dimensional facts and figures that keep us in the dark until it is too late to do anything?
Public services are being reduced in Bexley with the usual excuses eg. no statutory duty or too expensive to provide or maintain. Sidcup’s showpiece registry office on The Green is under threat by a council that suggests it cares little for history, culture or lasting improvements. Many of us find Bexley Council heads of service inflexible, unavailable to residents and councillors who might listen but remain unaccountable and hypocritical. Why else do councils help themselves to £1 in every £5 of council tax for their pensions?
R Grootendorst - Sidcup
Picture of Health
Is the “Picture of Health” being framed in the NHS? Can anyone in Bexley explain to me why a Conservative Council, whilst in one hand they are cutting back services to balance their books and yet in another they are opposed to Queen Mary’s Hospital advocating cutting their costs to also reduce debt, thousands in the case of the council, yet millions at Queen Mary’s. It just does’nt add up, and leaves me suspicious of the NHS being used as a political football to bolster a political image only in the name of protest.
I’ve studied ‘Picture of Health’ proposals and whilst there are some concerns still, basically I wholehearted agree to at least giving them, or it, a fair crack of the whip for change.
Having worked for over twenty five years in various specialities as a trained nurse in the NHS, I can say with hand on my heart, that I once didn’t agree or support big changes in the past of the NHS proposals for change. But then I was easily misled and somewhat ignorant of underlying reasons and purpose for those changes. Now, I’m convinced, the wisest way is to avoid, ‘who thinks they’re right? seeking more, ‘What could be right’? in the Picture of Health consultations. Hopefully a more healthy way ahead.
B Bedwell - Sidcup.
EU cash for Gateway
I refer to the article on page 18 of the March edition of the Chronicle. This carried the dramatic headline of “ EU cash floods Gateway” thus giving the impression that we have somehow been given money from the European Union to fund the Thames Gateway regeneration. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Our country has for some time been a net contributor and in 2007 our EU membership cost the equivalent of £100,000.00 every minute. So don’t be mislead, without this huge drain on our resources we could easily afford to undertake such regeneration projects; fund a world class NHS; pay our senior citizens a decent pension and plenty more besides.
And before anyone is tempted to rubbish the figures try asking the government to give you the exact cost of Britain’s EU membership. You won’t get an answer- they don’t know and have never tried to find out. Only the UK Independence Party is committed to telling the truth about the EU to the British people and have therefore undertaken a detailed study to establish the true costs.
Malcolm Clarke - UKIP Danson Park Ward
Grave Robbers!
Why do Orbit continue to take ‘Leaseholders for granted and treat them with utter contempt?
Some 18 months ago Orbit South, had planned works for Hurst Place Estate in Abbey Wood for some £16,000 over the next 5 years. It was felt that some of the proposed works were unnecessary. Since then we have been in continued discussion with Orbit South regarding their replacement roof programme on the estate which is now estimated to be circa £14,500 per each ‘Leaseholder. Remember we are talking about a roof in a block of flats, not a huge house on Hampstead Heath! The total planned works on this estate for the next five years have risen to nearer £25,000 we discover when Orbit South wrote to a solicitor of a potential buyer.
The problem we see are many fold, one is that this sum equates to virtually £400.00 per month per ‘Leaseholder, 60%, are pensioners on fixed incomes/pensions who will not be able to afford this kind of money; others are working ‘Leaseholders who too will have problem with finding an extra £400 per month. It seems Orbit South haven’t declared these disputes to the solicitor of potential buyers, essentially Orbit South have made a statement of costs that will inevitably have the effect of the buyer pulling out of the purchase leaving the incumbent ‘Leaseholder with a property they will be unable to sell. This will impact upon all ‘Leaseholders at Hurst Place for at least 5 years and from then (who knows?) the future will remain uncertain as Orbit South will want their money, regardless!
In discussions with Orbit South they have come up with an idea to ‘help’ ‘elderly ‘Leaseholders and that is to take a charge on the property and when the ‘Leaseholder dies then Orbit will have their money. Forgive me for sounding dramatic but this is nothing short of ‘Grave Robbing’ more akin to Burke and Hare than of a ‘responsible’ registered social landlord!
We have written to our local M.P.’s and councillors imploring they take action on our behalf to stop this avaricious housing association/landlord from wreaking financial havoc upon us.
Jim Parsons - Chair, OBHA-
Independent Leaseholder Group
Family Tree
I am trying to trace my family tree and can only get back to Richard Stephen Rooke ba1852 in Belvedere. He married Emma Fairbairns in Woolwich 1853. They had 10 children and lived in 23 Victoria St and then 66 Picardy St. Stephen and Emma are buried in Brook St Cemetery. I visited their grave in December and saw someone had recently left fresh flowers.
I wonder if any of your readers could help me find out any more about Stephen and Emma and their family.
Terry Rooke (email)
Council Tax issues
I am disgusted with our local Bexley Borough! We have an excessively high level of Council Tax and they care not whether we can afford it or not, or what hardship this puts us under! They have no heart, and the Councillors who are supposed to help with this and set the amounts each year, do nothing but bounce you around when you try to complain! (They're all in it together, I'll bet!).
No I don't think we should be asked to pay for the Olympics! A lot of us never asked for this farce any more than we asked for any of the injustices we see with our C/Tax bills each year! Just for the record, I notice that for a Band D in Bexley we are paying £218 MORE here than the national average, for this year alone! (Working out at some 16-17% over and above), what other Councils are paying! Why should this be allowed? I am protesting strongly regarding this injustice to Bexley's Residents! When will somebody in Government overhaul the expensive and unworkable Council Tax system?, and particularly tackle Bexley please?
Mrs. D. Winfield - email
Who reads small print?
Quotes from the front covers of BT phone books regarding Directory Enquiries.
2006/7 Directory: Call 118/500. Calls cost 24p per minute billed by the second, plus a connection charge of 49p per call.
2008/9 Directory: Call 118/500. Calls cost 49p per minute with a 29p connection charge.
Is it me?
Chas Owen - Sidcup