Hounslow Borough Liberal Democrats

Dakers calls for delay to end of BICS counselling service contract

2006-06-25T22:27:00Z

Lib Dem group Leader on Hounslow Council is calling for a delay to the end of the BICS counselling service contract until SHA investigations are completed

In a letter to local healthcare and community leaders Cllr Andrew Dakers, Leader of Hounslow Liberal Democrats, has today once against spoken out on the threatened closure of Hounslow's highly respected BICS counselling service. For the past twelve years BICS has provided Hounslow's general counselling service to GPs. Their contract with the PCT was lost after a re-tendering exercise shrouded in mystery. Dakers has described Hounslow PCT's limited public explanation of the tendering process and selection criteria as inadequate and urged them to be transparent about how the change was made. He has also said that no further steps should be taken to dismantle the BICS service until independent assessments have been completed into the probibity of the retendering process.

Dakers, commented:

"The PCT has still failed to give a clear explanation as to how the tendering process for counselling services was carried out. Furthermore it seems to have completely failed to consult patients or their doctors adequately.

"I am extremely concerned that steps may be taken in the near future by the PCT to attempt to close down the operations of the highly respected WLMHT Brief Intervention and Counselling Service (BICS). As this matter is still under investigation by the Strategic Health Authority (SHA). such a course of action would seem inappropriate in the extreme. It could only reduce the community's confidence further still and raise even more questions about the process that is being followed.

"Any changes to counselling services should be one of the most sensitively undertaken exercises in local health care. Many people are dependent on these services for their day to day stability."

Published and promoted by Sean Bourke at 104 Boston Manor Road, Brentford, TW8 9LN and Carl Pierce on behalf of Hounslow Liberal Democrats at 3 The Greenway, Hounslow, TW4 7AJ
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Change of Hounslow counselling services must be explained

2006-03-31T23:00:00Z

Andrew Dakers today backed local GPs calls for questions to be answered on changes to counselling services in Hounslow

Andrew Dakers (Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Brentford & Isleworth) today backed local GPs calls for questions to be answered on changes to counselling services in Hounslow. In a letter to the Chief Executives of West London Mental Health Trust and Hounslow PCT Andrew asked why GPs were left in the dark and a highly regarded service not given independent support in bidding for a new contract.

Andrew Dakers commented:

"I am very concerned to hear about the changes to counselling service provision here in Hounslow. Given the high regard in which the Brief Intervention and Counselling Service (BICS) was held it seems remarkable that the organisation is now closing down."

"The Chief Executives of Hounslow PCT and West London Mental Health Trust must now explain how this situation came about and answer the substantial questions that local GPs and I have raised about the current situation."

A fair deal for pensioners says Dakers at Hounslow Age Concern

2005-01-24T16:06:00Z

Andrew Dakers at Age Concern Hounslow with the £25 extra shopping the Lib Dems pensions boost would buy pensioners

Thousands of senior citizens in Brentford, Chiswick, Hounslow & Isleworth will benefit from Liberal Democrat plans for a pension increase of £25 a week, claimed the areas' Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Andrew Dakers, in a talk today to Age Concern Hounslow.

The plans, which were agreed at the party's conference last year, would initially be brought in for the over-75s, but would later be extended to all pensioners.

Andrew also brought nearly £25 of shopping within him to show members of Age Concern Hounslow's Fitness Group what they extra money could buy. Speaking on the plans, Andrew said:

"Our aim is a decent, universal, pension for all. These proposals would take a million pensioners out of means testing overnight. We are also proposing to axe the council tax and provide free care for the elderly. All this will leave pensioners much better off.

"The current policy of the government means that many elderly residents of Brentford, Chiswick, Hounslow & Isleworth are getting a mean deal. The Chancellor has given with one hand and taken away with the other. Pensioners aged 70 or more get an extra £100 towards council tax rises this year, but this is due to be halved to £50 next year.

"Those who have worked hard all their lives and carefully saved for old age have been stung by Pension Credit means testing. There is no fairness to this at all.

"Those aged over 75 came through the hardship of the war years. Many fought for our country. And this government is penalising those who have worked hardest to support themselves.

"People deserve a decent pension as a right without needless form filling and bureaucracy. That's why Liberal Democrats will end means testing and raise the state pension by £25 a week, beginning with those over 75. It is what our senior citizens need and deserve."

£100 fines for truants' parents "a publicity stunt that fails to support families" - Dakers and Khalsa

2005-01-17T15:56:00Z

Will £100 fines for truants' parents really get kids back in school?

Last week's announcement that Hounslow parents will face £100 fines if their children have poor attendance records was today branded a "publicity stunt" by Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates Andrew Dakers (Brentford & Isleworth) and Satnam Kaur Khalsa (Feltham & Heston).

Andrew Dakers commented:

"£100 fines are a knee jerk reaction to a problem that requires long term solutions. Councillor Ruth Cadbury's claims that Hounslow has a good record of attendance are simply not true. Truancy figures have soared in England since Labour came to power in 1997, and Hounslow Borough is no exception."

Satnam Kaur Khalsa added:

"This is clearly just another publicity stunt that fails to support families. What parents need is more support from a better funded social services, not £100 fines that they are unlikely to be able to afford to pay. Only by providing social services with the resources they need can we hope to encourage family environments where truancy is unacceptable and children are encouraged to attend school."