Motion from Councillor Richard Stevens
"This Council recognises the vital importance of respite care for children with disabilities and their carers. Council also acknowledges that caring for children with disabilities can entail significant financial investment by the families involved, and notes the concerns raised in the Oxford Mail on 11 December 2009 that Oxfordshire residents fear the loss or reduction of respite care funding. Council recognises that high quality respite care services for children with disabilities are the hallmark of a civilised society and therefore asks the Cabinet to pledge its support for respite care for children with disabilities by:
(a) ensuring that funding for such services will not be reduced; and
(b) ensuring that respite care for children with disabilities will not be the subject of "streamlining" or efficiency measures the results of which are not reinvested back directly into such services; and
(c) providing reassurance to the carers of children with disabilities who rely on such respite care services that current service levels will be maintained or increased."
Minutes:
Councillor Stevens moved and Councillor Hutchinson seconded the following motion:
"This Council recognises the vital importance of respite care for children with disabilities and their carers. Council also acknowledges that caring for children with disabilities can entail significant financial investment by the families involved, and notes the concerns raised in the Oxford Mail on 11 December 2009 that Oxfordshire residents fear the loss or reduction of respite care funding. Council recognises that high quality respite care services for children with disabilities are the hallmark of a civilised society and therefore asks the Cabinet to pledge its support for respite care for children with disabilities by:
(a) ensuring that funding for such services will not be reduced; and
(b) ensuring that respite care for children with disabilities will not be the subject of "streamlining" or efficiency measures the results of which are not reinvested back directly into such services; and
(c) providing reassurance to the carers of children with disabilities who rely on such respite care services that current service levels will be maintained or increased."
After debate, the motion was lost by 44 votes to 20.