Full text of Green Budget as presented to the County annual budget meeting on February 2009

The three great tasks before Oxfordshire County Council this year are:

• the deepening recession

• climate change

• the rapid growth in the numbers of older people and people with learning disabilities

These Amendments are a serious attempt to tackle these tasks.

ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMY DIRECTORATE

Car Parking

Making on-street car parking free on evenings and weekends is counter productive. The encouragement of use of the individual car promotes carbon emissions and pollution. There is no reason for the County to waste its money on subsidising this use.

The case of Park and Ride provision is more complex. It encourages people who might take their car into the City Centre to come by bus. But it also encourages people who might have made the whole journey by bus to use their cars for part of it. The only research we know of in Oxfordshire indicates that there is rather more of the latter effect than the former. Even if the effects were equal there would be no case for the very large subsidy which free use of the Park and Rides entails.

We therefore propose that reasonable charges be instituted. This increases income to the Environment and Economy directorate by £1,100,000 (for 2 sites) in 2009-10 and by £2,962,000 in each year from 2010 to 2014 (from all 5 sites).

Charging for evening and weekends increases income by £1,122,000 in each year from 2010 to 2014.

In 2009-10 we remove £1,000,000 from the Parking Fund, which has a current surplus of about £2,400,000.

Climate Change

We provide £1 million a year for 5 years, a total of £5 million, to improve the energy efficiency of about 100,000 homes in Oxfordshire. This is based on the experience of Kirklees Council which is spending a total of £1.3 million over 3 years. Their revenue outlay attracts Government and Energy Company grants for a total of £10 million expenditure, which will improve 40,000 homes. Sheffield City Council has allocated £1.5 million to allow expenditure of £10.5 million which is calculated to improve 64,000 homes. Our estimates are therefore modest.

The method which creates this success, which we will adopt, has been praised by the Local Government Association as best practice. It works by going area by area across the Local Authority, visiting every house in that area, and offering the free installation of suitable insulation, with paperwork and applications done by the visiting advisors. They also offer benefit advice and access to other energy saving equipment.

The improved energy efficiency for 100,000 homes will:

• Significantly reduce carbon emissions

• Save individual households up to £30 million, much of which will be spent locally.

• Provide decently paid work for about 100 people for the entire 5 year period

School Renewable Energy Projects

We provide £1,725,000 over 5 years so that each school will receive almost £6,000 to invest in solar or wind power. This will reduce carbon emissions and save significant sums which can be used by the schools. Even more importantly, all our children will learn about the importance and practicality of renewable energy.

Community Land Trust – Revolving Fund (One-off)

We provide loans of £540,000 to suitable Community Land Trust organisations for the purchase of land for affordable housing or other community use, under the control of the local community. The value of the land purchased or received by donation is held in perpetuity for the community. Only the amount attributable to the buildings is purchased or sold by individuals. This means that the homes or other buildings are reduced in cost by the value of the land and are therefore significantly less expensive than is usual. After the development and sale of the buildings money will be repaid to the County for future lending. The method is similar to earlier schemes in this country and has been very successfully used to provide tens of thousands of affordable homes in the United States since first developed in Burlington, Vermont in 1983.

Shared Spaces - A More Walkable Oxfordshire

Pedestrian use of the streets is healthy, enjoyable and low carbon. The recent publication by the Oxford Pedestrians Association “A More Walkable Oxford” proposes many ways to enhance such use, based on the principle of putting the pedestrian at the centre of the design process, rather than the car. We provide £500,000, £100,000 for five years, to make these changes possible. The approach should be applied to the entire County.

Pedestrian Officer

We fund this post at £40,000 per year, for five years, to make sure that the needs and views of pedestrians are represented in all discussions about streets and traffic.

Cycling Officer

We fund this post at £40,000 per year to make sure that the needs and views of cyclists are represented in all discussions of streets and traffic.

Credit Union Development

Many of the people of Oxfordshire are unable to access credit, no matter how necessary or affordable except by use of extortionate money-lenders. The Credit Union is an established and vital addition to the banking system. It is largely run by volunteers and helps create community cohesion. There is only one in Oxfordshire. We provide a one-off fund of £50,000 to help expand that Credit Union and establish such others as might be needed and viable.

Food Purchasing Cooperative

In the developing recession many people will need to find ways of buying nutritious food at reduced cost. These cooperatives are able to buy food wholesale at much lower cost than retail. The purchases, repacking and distribution are done by volunteer members of the Cooperative. We provide a one-off grant of £50,000 to help develop as many local organisations as are needed and wanted, throughout the County.

Research Light Tram Line

There have been significant developments in the design of light tram lines in recent years. They might be a better solution to the problems of Oxford City than the super-size buses which have been suggested. We provide a one-off fund of £100,000 to investigate the possibilities.

Research Congestion Charge

A congestion charge can be an important part of a system of reducing car travel, reducing carbon emissions and pollution. It can also raise substantial amounts of money to improve public transportation. What are the possible outlines of such a policy for Oxford City? What would be the advantages and disadvantages? We propose £100,000 as a one-off sum to commission the research and consultation to answer such questions.

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTORATE

Major Increase in Advice and Advocacy Services

The recession increases the need, already not fully met, for access to free, reliable Advice and Advocacy for mortgage, tenancy, benefit and debt management problems.

Thousands more families will be affected by unemployment and hundreds will be at risk of loss of their homes. We know that tens of millions of pounds in disability, pension and low-income benefits are not being claimed by the people of this County. We propose a major increase in the grants to voluntary sector organisations who provide these services on our behalf- from £740,000 per year for five years, a total increase of £3,700,000. We would expect this to make possible weekly sessions in virtually every General Practice surgery in the County. Every family in danger of losing their home would have first-class advice and representation. These services will help many people with disabilities and their carers to make the complicated submissions necessary to successfully claim Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance which can enhance their lives.

This service is an important part of the overall Green plan for a full life for Older People and People with Learning Disabilities.

Well planned services and campaigns can be expected to bring to claimants five to ten times the money spent on them. In our case that would mean a minimum of £18,500,000 accruing to some of the poorest and most vulnerable of our residents. Most of this money will be spent locally and will support hundreds of jobs, which will have further multiplier effects on the well-being of our residents.

Improve Adult Social Care

The large increase in the number of people living to an age at which they require help and the large increase of the numbers of people with Learning Disabilities surviving childhood and having increased life spans are major accomplishments of our society. Our challenge is, not merely to keep people alive, but to make it possible for them to have full and socially involved lives. If they are isolated in their homes, staring at four walls, it would not be much to be proud of.

We propose a funded policy with four main elements:

1. Care based on villages and neighbourhoods

We propose a team of 7 Community Development Workers, employed by the County or funded through voluntary sector organisations to help people in each community in the County to work together to make life more interesting for all those who would like to participate, to fill gaps which presently exist and to support all those who are already active. They would also be able to help local people make sure their voice is heard by all the other voluntary and statutory organisations. Most communities would have local buildings: schools, village halls, community centres at which there would be meals and a variety of activities, as well as a variety of home visiting and outings. We provide £280,000 a year, for a total of £1,400,000.

2. Subsidised transport to stay in touch with the world

People, whether they have disabilities or not, want to travel to be with other people, to attend classes and performances, to see friends, to see and be in touch with nature. In addition to the various subsidies presently in place we propose £200,000 a year for a total of £1,000,000 over five years to support local voluntary schemes, to provide backup in the case of illness, to provide insurance and to subsidise taxi travel.

3. Support for carers

It is fully accepted now that Carers are the backbone of all statutory and voluntary care for people with disabilities. Oxfordshire has made substantial improvements in support of Carers but there remains much to be done to assure them the rest that they need to continue to care. We propose an additional £2,275,000 over five years for these purposes.

4. Cultural and Adult Learning Services

A full life means learning, enjoying and doing. The County, within its employ and outside, has many gifted and willing teachers, artists, writers and performers. We propose an expenditure of £100,000 a year from 2010 to 2014, a total of £400,000, to make these joys available to many more people with disabilities than are presently involved, whether they are in their own homes or in Nursing or Care Homes or long-term in hospital.

Reductions in Services for Older People and People with Learning Disabilities

The Cabinet budget proposals contain large savings which have not yet been identified.

Reduced need for residential care due to investment in prevention services

Calls for a reduction of spending by £4,500,000 over five years. It is hard to see that this can be done without a great deal of loss to the individuals and families. We propose the replacement of £1,000,000. This is unlikely to be enough to prevent suffering but will do something.

Reassessment of individual needs in contracted and internal services for people with Learning Disabilities

The idea of reassessment with the expectation of major reductions is questionable. There should be periodic reassessment which will find reduced or increased or continuing needs. The ‘predicted’ reduced needs amount to £3,300,000 over five years. We restore £1,050,000 to this budget, expecting it will reduce, though not eliminate, the weakening of services to vulnerable people.

The Supported Accommodation Review seeks to meet an increased savings target of £4,700,000. This is a very risky target. We would reduce the target by £1,400,000.

The total social care for adults savings represents a huge risk to the welfare of those for whom the County has a responsibility of care. They cannot be safely met. We propose an additional expenditure of £2,500,000 to redress a small part of the balance. This makes a total of £5,950,000 by which we would reduce these unacceptable savings.

Asylum Seekers with Mental Health Problems

Asylum seekers waiting long periods for final determination, not allowed to work, on reduced or no benefit income are in dire difficulties. Those with significant mental health problems are even worse off. We propose £100,000 a year for five years, a total of £500,000, for basic housing and living needs for these people.

Money Management

The Money Management team, which looks after the finances of people unable to do so for themselves, has done excellent work toward clearing their inherited mess. There are unacceptable delays due to the backlog. We propose a one-off expenditure of £60,000 for additional staff to clear the backlog.

CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE & FAMILIES DIRECTORATE

Social Workers

This Directorate employs fewer Social Workers than comparable authorities. We accept that they are particularly competent and experienced individuals. Given the excessive amounts of time they are required to spend on Government-mandated paperwork, the small number poses a risk to the safety of the children they protect. We propose an addition of four Social Worker posts at £160,000 a year, for a total of £800,000 over five years.

Support for Parents of Children with Severe Disabilities The Mencap report last year noted the number of parents of children with severe Learning Disabilities who were at “breaking point”. This is one of many such reports. It is the County’s responsibility to reduce the enormous pressure on parents of children with every form of severe disability and it has not yet done so fully. We propose an additional expenditure of £400,000 a year, £2 million over five years to significantly improve the short break facilities for these families.

CROSS-SERVICE PROVISION

Apprentices

There will be drastically increased unemployment of young people as the recession deepens. Those who might have had difficulties in finding employment in better times, including Care Leavers, will have more difficulties. There are many young people for whom Apprenticeships are a good way in which to enter rewarding work lives. We propose an increase in funding for the County to employ Apprentices in all Directorates of £100,000 a year for five years, a total of £500,000.