Fife charity rejects councillor's criticisms
A Fife charity has issued an assurance that elderly and house-bound people will not be abandoned when the council's shopping and pensions collections services are axed next week.
- By Claire Warrender
- Published in the Courier : 01.09.10
- Published online : 01.09.10 @ 05.58pm
John McKendrick, from Fife Elderly Forum, said the organisation would continue to provide a good service.
He was responding to comments from council opposition leader Alex Rowley, who accused the local authority of making "empty shallow promises" and ignoring the needs of vulnerable people.
The council decided to stop its shopping and pension collection service in its budget-setting exercise in February.
Last month it emerged that a booklet containing the names of over 20 private firms which will do clients' shopping, as well as stores which deliver, has been put together by Fife Elderly Forum and has been sent out to those affected.
Mr Rowley claimed the information in the booklet was poor and said some of the companies on the list do not offer the service.
But Mr McKendrick said, "Every organisation was contacted by us and they confirmed they would provide a shopping delivery service.
"Councillor Rowley has also said that neither the elderly forum nor the council is taking responsibility for the information, but he has not discussed that with us at all."
He said the booklet contains a telephone number for social work as well as two freephone numbers for Fife Elderly Forum.
"As social work visits each person to discuss the shopping delivery service, they are getting them to sign a consent form saying their details can be sent to us.
"They are then contacted by us and we ask if they have found an alternative provider. If not, we ask if they require any assistance.
"We are also saying that if they have found a provider we will contact them again in a month to ensure what they are getting is working for them.
"People are most certainly not being left or abandoned, as we want to make sure there is something there."
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