THE blame game has started over possible cuts this autumn to York's home-help service.

The Press revealed yesterday how City of York Council might stop providing assistance to people considered to be in "moderate" need, because of growing financial pressures on the social services budget.

Council leader Steve Galloway said he "could not rule out the possibility" of such cuts within the current financial year, although the position would become clearer in October when a half-year budget report came out.

He said that if the cuts were needed, it would be a consequence of the Government's council tax capping policies, which prevented the authority raising any more income.

But a leading Labour councillor, Sandy Fraser, said today it was no good the Liberal Democrat administration blaming the Government, claiming: "The Lib Dems have to actually take responsibility for their choices and priorities for a change.

"They have chosen to put vast sums of money and management resources into their failing York Pride initiative and continue to waste thousands of pounds on blunders like the Barbican."

Coun Fraser, who is Labour's spokesman for adult social services and health, said when Labour ran the council, it faced financial pressures, but managed to maintain the service.

"If these plans to stop home care services to some of the most vulnerable residents in the city go ahead, then a lot of people will find themselves without access to the care in the home that they have previously received and to the support which enables them to maintain their independence. This would be a further major Lib Dem let-down for the people of York."

But Coun Galloway hit back, insisting that the root cause of the council's financial difficulties rested with an "unfair government grant system".

He said: "Even when it was changed to recognise York's needs, £1.2 million was siphoned off to other parts of the country this year. Against that background, the council must constantly review its financial position and if additional demands for its statutory services - such as homecare - are placed upon it, then economies will have to be found."

He said that every Labour-run authority in the region now only provided homecare for those with "substantial" or greater needs.

He also said that a former £1million subsidy to the Barbican under Labour had now been eliminated with the auditorium now being run by the private sector, while the council's continuing commitment to have a clean, safe and well maintained environment meant that cuts to York Pride services were undesirable.

"However we will look at all possible economy areas when we undertake our half-year budget review in October."


Giving help to those in need

ABOUT 200 to 300 people are felt to be in moderate need in York at any one time - the majority are elderly, but some are younger people with physical disabilities.

Home helps provide assistance to them over matters such as washing, getting up in the morning and then getting back to bed in the evening, and making sure people get their pension and shopping.

City of York Council said people were considered to be at moderate risk when they were unable to carry out several "personal care or domestic routines," and either did not have families or relationships available to provide the support they needed, or the provision of services would lead to them maintaining those relationships.

A spokeswoman said: "Community care assessments take account of both need for support and the risks to people from their circumstances and any risk that there may be if service are not provided.

"They will also be considered at moderate need if the provision of services for a short period will avoid the need for services in the long-term."