Councillors agree to ‘make sure Calderdale’s voice is heard’ in care talks

Baroness Louise Casey, who chairs the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, has launched the Big Conversation on Care, giving the public the chance to have their say.

There was support across the political board at a meeting of the full Calderdale Council for Labour’s Coun Ann Kingston’s motion, which proposed that Calderdale’s voice should be among those heard.

Baroness Casey’s conversation starts by asking people about the values and principles they expect from a care system and will go on to consider some of the difficult questions about fairness, funding and the respective roles of individuals, families and the state, she said.

Coun Kingstone (Lab, Wainhouse) said social care needed to be about giving people dignity, choice and as much independence as possible.

“One truth remains constant – care is about relationships, trust, patience and understanding the whole person, not simply about completing the task,” she said.

Councillors agreed to promote the Big Conversation on Care widely across Calderdale, including to people who draw on care and support, unpaid carers, care workers, social care providers, trade unions, voluntary and community organisations and health partners.

This will ensure voices of those with direct experience of the care system are at the heart of Calderdale’s contribution, they said.

Active council participation will build on commitments made by Calderdale Council to unpaid carers, made last year, and work arising from that motion to see how support for them can be improved.

Coun James Cook (Reform UK, Elland) agreed about personal impacts and involving those with experience of the system.

In particular, he was pleased the role of unpaid carers was one of the things highlighted.

“When we talk about social care it is easy to talk about systems, structures, funding and policy,” he said.

“These things matter of course but at the heart are the people – people who quietly and selflessly care every day for a loved one, a child with additional needs, an elderly parent, a partner, a neighbour.”

Coun Martin Hey (Green, Northowram and Shelf) was supportive but also noted pressures on the care system which needed resolving, including recruitment.

He was also concerned about involvement of the private sector in some aspects of care.