Shame on you Liberal Democrats

DERBY’S Liberal Democrats, who are in charge of Derby City Council, have just reported a massive underspend of £2.2 million in social care services.

In 2005 the Labour Party scrapped the home care charges that were introduced when the Lib Dems last ran the council in partnership with the Tories between 2003 - 2005.

When the Lib Dems seized control last year, one of their first acts was to issue a consultation paper on reintroducing home care charges for vulnerable people.

The only individuals who were exempt from the imposition of these swingeing charges were those who could show they were surviving on meagre incomes.

Despite protestations from hundreds of service users and their carers, a hefty charge was imposed at the beginning of this year.

Unsurprisingly, every single Conservative councillor joined forces with the Lib Dems in ignoring Labour’s evidence, which firmly demonstrated that these charges weren’t necessary.

The Liberal Democrats claimed that £2 million was needed to meet an anticipated increase in demand for services.

This was either deliberate scare mongering to justify the imposition of charging or a truly staggering demonstration of incompetence by this shambolic administration?

It’s cold comfort that Labour’s arguments have been vindicated because vulnerable people are being impoverished by this unnecessary and mean-spirited policy.

I just hope the electorate remember the Lib Dems' shameful record and the complicity of Derby’s Conservative councillors who have backed many of the most controversial policies.