Time for local politicians to take the lead
Blog entry June 2009
The outcome of the local and European elections coupled with the melt down of the parliamentary process, not to mention the seemingly remorseless push from government and opposition alike to get rid of our current Prime Minister is, I believe, hiding a whole array of important social policy issues from the public eye. One such issue is the upcoming inquiry into to the Supporting People programme. This programme is not only vital for the continuation of services to vulnerable people; it is in effect the only safety net for those who are not protected by any statutory duty to housing or social care.
The never ending media frenzy around the recession and the political classes has dominated the news for months. The danger inherent in this type of journalistic trough fight is to push the really important issues affecting ordinary people so far down the political agenda that those already at the bottom fall of the radar altogether. The net affect being that anything charities like Porchlight may say about the plight of our services users is deemed to be unimportant and irrelevant to a society dominated by celebrity and those obsessed with either gaining or hanging onto power.
My only hope is that now that the local elections are over we can now have clear strategic steer from our local politicians, never has there been a more important time for local politics to take a lead. The national picture is both confused and looks more like a gladiatorial blood fest with the main parties remaining silent on housing, homeless and social care issues at a time when demand is rising and resources are being eroded.
Everyone in the sector needs to prepare for the onslaught of a further round of cuts that we are told are inevitable following the bailout of the banks and huge injection of cash into the economy. It does however seem somewhat difficult to understand that those whose voice is drowned out by the current mêlée are the same people who are most at risk of losing their homes, their dignity and in the worst cases their lives.
