Scarborough care group boss says single local authority the best option for North Yorkshire

The Independent Care Group (ICG) says the proposal put forward by North Yorkshire County Council offers the best opportunity for North Yorkshire to become a centre of excellence for care.

Local authorities in the region have been asked by the Government to come up with new proposals to replace the current two-tier local authority system, as part of plans to devolve more power to the region.

North Yorkshire County Council is proposing one single, unitary authority for the county.

ICG Chairman Mike Padgham said: “Effective county-wide services already exist in the delivery of social care and many years have been spent establishing a successful and close working relationship between the local authority and independent providers of social care.

"It would seem pointless and unnecessary to dismantle this.

“In recent months, North Yorkshire County Council has worked in partnership with local providers to provide an effective response to coronavirus.

"We need that relationship to continue to keep providing that response.

"We cannot know how long the threat of Covid-19 will remain.

“We must look at ways to build upon the existing partnerships to prepare the county for the future.

"It is a future which will feature a rapidly-ageing population which will have an increasing demand for ever more complex care.

"This will require a strong, coherent authority to manage in partnership with care providers.

“With the excellent network of care providers we have across the county and the ever-increasing demand for services, this area has the potential to become a centre of excellence for the delivery of social care.

"A new, single unitary authority would be best-placed to help that happen and to play a key role in its realisation.

“North Yorkshire County Council is looking to bring in more investment and more decision-making power to a single authority, which can only be a positive move forward for the overall future of North Yorkshire.

“The county, and social care in particular, face many challenges in the future.

"The proposal from North Yorkshire County Council for a single unitary authority provides the best option for facing and overcoming those challenges.”

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