Reading Council's Bold Move on Social Care Reform

A lively debate in Reading focused on the future of care for older and disabled residents. Reading Borough Council runs adult social care and can raise council tax by two per cent a year for it.

The council budgeted £63.815 million for adult social care in 2025/26 but actually spent £66.532 million - an overspend of £2.717 million.

The Labour government under Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans for a National Care Service. Baroness Louise Casey has launched the Big Conversation on Care online to gather views before advising government next summer.

At full council, Glenn Dennis (Labour, Kentwood), lead councillor for adult social care, asked councillors to back the Big Conversation and make sure Reading is heard. He said: "The Prime Minister has committed to fixing the broken social care system by finding common ground across party lines, setting out a new approach to politics based on problem-solving rather than point-scoring."

The motion also flagged staffing problems. The council pays the Real Living Wage of £13.45 per hour for its care staff, yet the independent care sector has an estimated 225 vacant posts and a 23.5 per cent staff turnover rate.

The motion won broad support. Councillor Louise Keane (Green, Katesgrove) said: "I welcome the fair pay agreement because care work is very low-paid, unfortunately, and we also must look at the conditions like training and staff wellbeing."

Conservative councillor Isobel Ballsdon (Caversham Heights) warned the motion looked political. She said: "I think everyone here is in agreement that adult social care is one of the greatest challenges facing the borough and this country, and it's absolutely right that we work across party lines to find lasting solutions.

Labour's cllr Graeme Hoskins (Southcote) replied: "The very reason that we need this conversation is because parties across the spectrum need to buy into the model and the future. This constant period of the Tories attacking Labour, and Labour attacking the Tories, and the Tories underfunding councils for almost 14 years and bringing the social care system to its knees is something we need to move beyond."

Lib Dem cllr Anne Thompson (Tilehurst) noted the council's services were rated 'Requires Improvement' by the Care Quality Commission in October last year. She said: "The Reading Liberal Democrats support this motion, as reform of adult social care is desperately needed, having been kicked down the road by successive governments."

The council unanimously adopted the motion at the meeting on October 13.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter