Proposer: Ida Linfield
Seconder: Trudy Dean
Background information
According to Kent Carers Matter, 1 in 9 adults in Kent are carers for people of all ages at any one time. This equates to over 151,000 people. 3 in 5 people in Kent will become a carer at some point in their life. A quarter of carers have reported not having had a day off for 5 years.
There are currently over 200 registered providers of respite care and short breaks across Kent. Many of these are community services available to everyone without assessment, and for those with more specialist needs, there are a range of targeted options.
Motion
This Council notes the many benefits to health and wellbeing that respite services and short breaks provide to carers. However, it is clear that even before the current pandemic many carers in the county were not accessing any support. These numbers are likely to have increased markedly, and stress levels amongst carers are known to be very high.
The Council commits to actively promoting respite breaks for all carers across Kent by launching a new publicity campaign to raise awareness to those carers who have yet to take advantage of the short break and respite services to which they are entitled.
Minutes:
Promoting respite services in Kent
(1) Ida Linfield proposed and Mrs Dean seconded the following motion:
“This Council notes the many benefits to health and wellbeing that respite services and short breaks provide to carers. However, it is clear that even before the current pandemic many carers in the county were not accessing any support. These numbers are likely to have increased markedly, and stress levels amongst carers are known to be very high.
The Council commits to actively promoting respite breaks for all carers across Kent by launching a new publicity campaign to raise awareness to those carers who have yet to take advantage of the short break and respite services to which they are entitled”.
(2) Mrs Bell proposed and Miss Morton seconded the following amendment:
“This Council notes the many benefits to health and wellbeing that respite services and short breaks provide to carers. However, it is clear that even before the current pandemic many carers in the county were not accessing any support. These numbers are likely to have increased markedly, and stress levels amongst carers are known to be very high.
The Council
commits to actively promoting respite breaks for all
carers across Kent by launching a new publicity
campaign to raise awareness to those carers who have yet to
take advantage of the short break and respite services to
which they are entitled.
The Council congratulates the administration on the Making a Difference Every Day programme. The Council further supports the determination of the administration to continue and expand on the work to improve engagement with carers, to raise awareness of the services available to carers, and to actively promote these services via the KCC Comms Team, as well as our partners in Primary Care, the voluntary sector, district councils and others, to ensure that carers across Kent are able to benefit from the short break and respite opportunities and other support available to them.”
(3) Following the debate the Chairman put the amendment set out in paragraph 2 to the vote and the voting was as follows:
For (54)
Mrs Allen, Mr Angell, Mr Barrington-King, Mr Bartlett, Mrs Bell, Mrs Beresford, Mrs Binks, Mr Bond, Mr Booth, Mr Bowles, Mr Brazier, Miss Carey, Sir Paul Carter, Mrs Chandler, Mr Chard, Mrs Cole, Mr Collor, Mr Cook, Mr Cooke, Mr Cooper, Mrs Crabtree, Mr Dance, Mrs Game, Mr Gough, Mrs Hamilton, Mr Hill, Mr Hills, Mrs Hohler, Mr Holden, Mr Homewood, Mr Horwood, Mr Long, Mr Love, Mr Lymer, Mr Manion, Mr McInroy, Mr Messenger, Mr Monk, Miss Morton, Mr Murphy, Mr Northey, Mr Oakford, Mr Ozog, Mr Pascoe, Mr Payne, Mrs Prendergast, Mr Pugh, Miss Rankin, Mr Rayner, Mr Ridgers, Mr Sweetland, Mr Thomas, Mr Whiting, , Mr Wright
Against (11)
Mr Bird, Mr Burden, Mr Chittenden, Mr Clinch, Mrs Dean, Mr Harman, Mr Hook, Mr Hotson, Ida Linfield, Dr Sullivan, Mr Whybrow
Abstain (0)
Amendment carried.
(4) The Chairman put the substantive motion set out in paragraph 2 above to the vote and the voting was as follows:
For (50)
Mrs Allen, Mr Barrington-King, Mr Bartlett, Mrs Bell, Mrs Beresford, Mrs Binks, Mr Bond, Mr Booth, Mr Bowles, Mr Brazier, Miss Carey, Sir Paul Carter, Mrs Chandler, Mr Chard, Mrs Cole, Mr Collor, Mr Cook, Mr Cooke, Mr Cooper, Mrs Crabtree, Mr Dance, Mrs Game, Mr Gough, Mrs Hamilton, Mr Hill, Mr Hills, Mrs Hohler, Mr Holden, Mr Homewood, Mr Long, Mr Love, Mr Lymer, Mr Manion, Mr McInroy, Mr Monk, Miss Morton, Mr Murphy, Mr Northey, Mr Oakford, Mr Ozog, Mr Pascoe, Mr Payne, Mrs Prendergast, Mr Pugh, Miss Rankin, Mr Rayner, Mr Sweetland, Mr Thomas, Mr Whiting, Mr Wright
Against (13)
Mr Angell, Mr Bird, Mr Burden, Mr Chittenden, Mr Clinch, Mrs Dean, Mr Harman, Mr Hook, Mr Hotson, Ida Linfield, Mr Messenger, Dr Sullivan, Mr Whybrow
Abstain (0)
Substantive motion carried.
(5) RESOLVED that:
(a) This Council notes the many benefits to health and wellbeing that respite services and short breaks provide to carers. However, it is clear that even before the current pandemic many carers in the county were not accessing any support. These numbers are likely to have increased markedly, and stress levels amongst carers are known to be very high.
(b) The Council congratulates the administration on the Making a Difference Every Day programme. The Council further supports the determination of the administration to continue and expand on the work to improve engagement with carers, to raise awareness of the services available to carers, and to actively promote these services via the KCC Comms Team, as well as our partners in Primary Care, the voluntary sector, district councils and others, to ensure that carers across Kent are able to benefit from the short break and respite opportunities and other support available to them.