Councils must limit tax hikes to 5pc

By Mithran Samuel, Maria Ahmed, Caroline Lovell, Derren Hayes and Amy Taylor

Councils must limit tax hikes to 5pc

Services for older people funded by local government face swingeing cuts following the government’s settlement for councils for 2008-11, town hall leaders have warned.

Local Government Association chair Simon Milton said the 1% real terms annual increases promised to authorities would not suffice to prevent large cuts or big increases in council tax.

However, the government has threatened to cap increases in council tax of 5%.

Source:- The Daily Mail Friday 12 October 2007 page 4

The mother of a disabled young woman talks of her reasons for proposing that her daughter receive a hysterectomy to avoid the pain of periods.

Alison Thorpe’s daughter Katie is unable to communicate her needs and there is nothing legally to stop the operation going ahead, once Mrs Thorpe and a doctor have given her consent, but the issue has sparked a heated ethical debate on the implications for disabled people.

Source:- The Daily Mail Friday 12 October 2007 page 30-31

East Europeans reach the parts others can’t

The recent arrival of eastern European workers in Britain has reached parts of the country that no other pervious wave has reached, according to an official study published yesterday.

Source:- The Guardian, Friday 12 October 2007, page 6

Children who can’t write their own name

National Statistics data reveals that 40% of children aged 5 are unable to write their name or sound simple words, despite major investment into government schemes, such as Sure Start, to improve child development.

Source: – The Times, Friday October 12 2007, page 1-2

Pressure of tests ‘means primary school pupils lose their childhood’

A review of primary school education claims that children today face “intolerable pressure” over school tests and are forced to grow up far too quickly. 

Source: – The Times, Friday October 12 2007, page 19

Scottish news

Scotland could get new community-based units to house asylum-seeking families as a way of keeping children out of Dungavel detention centre.

Units in England which house asylum seeking families are to be visited by Childrens’ Secretary Fiona Hyslop.

Ms Hyslop said: “This was a very constructive and positive meeting where I was able to restate this government’s opposition to the detention of children at Dungavel.”

Source:- The Herald, Friday 12 October

Nurse who threw disabled man on to bed struck offA senior nurse has been described as a risk to patients and permanently struck from the register following a catalogue of complaints.

Scott Armstrong was found guilty of four charges, including the rough treatment of one disabled patient and stealing money from another.

Despite denying all the charges, Mr Armstrong did not attend the two-day hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Conduct and Competence Committee.

Source:- The Scotsman, Friday 12 October

‘Seriously flawed’ OAP care funding costs city £34m

The introduction of free personal care for pensioners has cost Edinburgh taxpayers more than £34 million due to a “seriously flawed” distribution of government grants.

Council chiefs attacked the system, which has seen them forced to top up the cash received from Holyrood to meet demand.

The council has pointed out that free personal care has greatly benefited the better-off members of society who previously paid for services, and Edinburgh has a high proportion of affluent areas.

Source:- The Scotsman, Friday 12 October

Welsh news

A schizophrenic man has died after being arrested at his parents’ home following a violent incident.

An inquest yesterday heard how Paul Evans, 45, had a psychotic episode at the house in Ravenhill, Swansea, in January of last year. The police arrived after he became in danger of harming himself.

Source:- Western Mail, Friday, 12 October 2007

Equality body slammed for undermining its own remit

The new body for equality issues has gone against its own principles by creating a panel consisting of three white women to pick its director for Wales, it has been alleged.

The Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) was launched last week. Kate Bennett, the former director of the Equal Opportunities Commission in Wales, was appointed to an equivalent post in the CEHR early last month. It is alleged that the interviewing panel which selected her was made up of three white women.

Source:- Western Mail, Friday, 12 October 2007