LIBERAL Democrat councillors in Warrington have backed a Labour motion calling for the creation of a new National Care Service, amid growing concerns over the future funding and sustainability of social care.
The Liberal Democrat Opposition Group supported the motion at Warrington Borough Council’s full council meeting last Monday, October 26.
Cllr Judith Wheeler said reform of social care had been at the heart of Liberal Democrat policy for many years, arguing that fixing the system was essential to easing pressure on the NHS and local authority finances.
She said the debate came down to a fundamental question about how people should be supported when they become older, disabled or seriously ill.
The Prime Minister has promised to establish a National Care Service, free at the point of use, while the independent Casey Commission is expected to publish its report in summer 2027.
Cllr Wheeler said the commission represented another opportunity to tackle a longstanding problem, following what she described as 22 previous attempts to reform social care dating back to 1997.
She also highlighted the findings of the 2011 Dilnot Commission, commissioned under the Coalition Government, which warned of the urgent need for a sustainable funding settlement for social care as demand increased with an ageing population.
The report described the existing system as inadequate, unfair and unsustainable, against a backdrop of significant financial pressures on councils and the NHS.
Cllr Wheeler said Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey had championed the role of unpaid carers, drawing on his own experiences as a young carer, husband and father.
She also referred to cross-party discussions between Sir Ed and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, which began on July 29.
“The only way to begin to solve the crisis is to do it cross-party, because any solution must be long-lasting to withstand changes of leadership and government,” she said.
The Liberal Democrats said they hoped the Prime Minister would honour that approach.
Concerns over digital access to care
Following the meeting, Cllr Laura Booth, the Liberal Democrat Opposition spokesperson for Social Care, warned that any future reforms must ensure vulnerable people were not excluded by increasing reliance on technology.
She said that while artificial intelligence, digital systems and data-led services could play a growing role in care, provision must remain accessible to people who could struggle to use them.
Cllr Booth highlighted those with physical or mental health difficulties, as well as people who lacked digital skills.
She said there must be human support available to help people navigate the care system.
The debate comes amid continuing national challenges over how social care should be funded and delivered, with councils facing competing demands on their budgets and growing pressure to provide support for older and vulnerable residents.
For Warrington, the future of social care funding remains an important issue for the borough council as it seeks to balance its responsibilities to residents with wider financial pressures.
