Star letter: Reading deeper into council's statements
It is so refreshing to read an understandable statement from Keith Barrow, leader of Shropshire Council, who must know what he is talking about.
He states: "We are redesigning services such as adult social care – saving money (with) better outcomes. There is increased pressure, because people are living longer. Like potholes, we are now doing 20 a day instead of three."
But in non-council speak, taxpayers understand that "saving money" means cutbacks, while "better outcomes" depends on who is defining, and benefiting from "better".
The last 50 years of the 20th century saw many projections on the future increase in the number of the UK population. But how many politicians took any notice of that body of evidence to prepare for the increased demands on health and social care services?
Instead we have the "pothole equivalent". . . having to deal with 20 instead of three a day. Another £40 million cuts in 2015, totalling £167 million for Shropshire between 2009 and 2017. And yet, for all that huge reduction whatever Councillor Barrow would have us believe, council tax has remained the same.
One has to wonder if the "better outcome" for us costly wrinklies will be the reinstatement of the government's solution in 1902 to deal with the pesky Boers?
Malcolm MacIntyre-Read, Much Wenlock
