Vulnerable children and older people to get extra £3.3 million

12.00.00am GMT Fri 21st Feb 2003

A massive extra £3.3 million is to be invested each year in frontline social services under plans proposed by Lib Dem Islington Council due to be revealed at the Council's budget meeting on 27th February.The plans, which were consulted on at each of the Area Committees this month, will see an extra £3.3 million to be spent on services for vulnerable children and older people. Details of extra investment this year in social services include: Money for child placements (fostering and residential places) for children in our care Extra investment in occupational therapy and provision of social care Recruitment and retention funding for social workers Improvements to Drovers and Sotheby Mews day centres for older people More specialist equipment to help disabled people stay at home rather than go into hospital Despite increasing financial pressures from the government ? where London councils received less money than the rest of the country and Islington got even less, the Lib Dems plan means that much-needed cash will reach those areas most in need and they will have kept their promise to keep council tax below the London average. Councillor Meral Ece, Executive member for Social Services and Health said: "This is great news for the people of Islington. Those who are most in need of this extra money, vulnerable people such as children and older people, will really feel the benefits. "Under the Lib Dems social services has been steadily improving in Islington. Only last year a government report praised the extent of our rapid improvement. We believe that to continue this improvement we have to invest these extra resources. /I>"But rest assured ? this won't mean a return to the old days when Labour's reckless tax and spend left us with the highest council tax in London. Through making careful savings and targeting our investment, we'll get the money where we really need it and keep our promise to keep council tax below the London average."