The Government came to a secret “gentleman’s agreement” with the leadership of Surrey County Council, whilst the rest of country faces a crisis in social care and brutal cuts to council budgets – Thomas

Gareth Thomas, Shadow Minister for Local Government
Finance, in response to evidence that Surrey County Council came to a
‘gentleman’s agreement with the Government over their budget, said:

“This
recording proves what we have long suspected. The Government came to a secret
“gentleman’s agreement” with the leadership of Surrey County Council, whilst
the rest of country faces a crisis in social care and brutal cuts to
council budgets.

“Theresa
May and her ministers, including Sajid Javid, have been playing political games,
conducting backroom sweetheart deals for their friends, whilst councils across
the country struggle to cobble together the money to adequately fund social
care. Meanwhile, there is a crisis in social care with a £1.9billion funding
gap and elderly people living without the care they need.

“Theresa
May must come clean about the terms of the deal offered to Surrey County
Council, apologise for her Government’s misleading suggestion that there
had been no such deal and ensure other local councils get the same treatment.”

Ends