Nik Butler: Where is anger over lack of good social care?

As if we need to investigate people’s desire to eat; be clothed and have protection from the environment.

I guess the government wants to be seen to be doing ‘something’. It may be easy to consider this a problem for another town , another city, a place which feels less job enabled and possibly ‘encumbered’ by social housing.

In stark reality Horsham’s food bank support means that you walk into Waitrose, a shop long considered the bastion of more opulent food experiences, and are invited to buy and then donate food or personal care products for The Ark Horsham to manage.

Meanwhile in the other news article we hear of county councillors in meetings who are discussing the merits of increasing the allowances paid to them in respect of duties carried out as councillors.

This suitable rate of allowance is apparently required to ensure that they can continue to attract a better quality candidate for the role.

Colour me confused but if the purpose of paying a suitable rate is to attract suitable candidates why does this thinking not extend to paying for suitable services to provide support for a more suitable society?

So here we are in the 21st Century with individuals and families who weekly are going hungry whilst council members debate the merits of attracting a better quality of candidate by ensuring that their out of pocket expenses are fulfilled satisfactorily.

When people talk about ‘the Horsham they want to see’ these conversations appear alongside questions of planning and development.

Where are the conversations where the community soon become as angry at the lack of good social care; just as they get angry for the lack of protection to their living room views.

We face a county whose own affluence is working against the very members of the community who it needs most.

Services are falling to charity and private groups to deliver. From care homes to youth services spending cuts are impacting those who would appreciate a job so that maybe they too could claim expenses.

One might assume if councillors were to donate anything it would be to ensure that those benefiting from food banks would eat cake.