Rochdale Council supports LGA calls on funding

Date published: 04/10/2007

Rochdale Council is backing a move by the Local Government Association to highlight the increasing cost of caring for an ageing population.

National figures just published show that new policies set out by government, which also include new initiatives for children's services and waste management, will cost local authorities an extra £9m a day.

While the new policy and legislative burdens will be implemented by local councils, if additional funding is not provided as part of the forthcoming comprehensive spending review then the LGA believes that other services may have to be restricted.

In the UK there will be an extra 400,000 older people over the next three years, many of whom will require social care and have increasingly complex needs.

Councillor Dale Mulgrew, cabinet member for Health amp; Social Care, said: "I unequivocally support our local government association in this attempt once more to underline the funding difficulties that all Councils will encounter as they look to meet the growing demand of the ageing population.

"The LGA reckon that to carry out the Government's changing social care agenda that we will need to be allocated almost an addition £3billion in the Government's spending promises for the next three years which will be set out soon in their comprehensive spending review."