Bracknell Forest council pledges to support 'unkown' carers

BFC met for a full council meeting on Wednesday, July 10, where a motion was passed to better support Bracknell’s ‘unknown’ carers.

The authority is estimated to have identified only 13 per cent of carers across the borough – with nearly 8,000 living without support from the council.

The motion was meant to be presented by Cllr Thompson, a carer himself. But he made a swift exit just as it was reached on the agenda, due to his own caring responsibilities. This prompted a sombre discussion from other councillors regarding their experiences as a carer.

Cllr Bailey shared his ‘emotional turmoil’ that he experiences as a full-time carer for his wife, who has Alzheimer’s. He told his colleagues: “Believe it or not, this is respite when I come here.”

Councillor Roy Bailey (Image: Bracknell Forest Council)

Cllr Forster said he had experience as a young carer, as his mother suffered with polio when he was a child.

Due to Cllr Thompson’s absence, the motion was presented on his behalf by Cllr Smith, who told other members: “Thompson is a carer himself and he has had to move away from the meeting. As a carer he is aware of the demands and hardships faced by residents.”

The Labour-run executive have announced a new strategy to reach carers currently not receiving support from the council.

BFC supports carers by providing short periods of replacement care, supplying ‘carer time out’, and financial support.

Members expressed their support for the executive’s new strategy to reach unknown carers. Conservative member Bernard suggested that this strategy be worked on ‘cross party’.

Cllr Thompson’s swift exit made some members question the ‘constitutionality’ of whether it is possible for a council to debate a motion when the member in charge of it is not present.

Cllr Barnard said it seemed ‘bizarre’ to debate the motion without his presence, adding that it was ‘out of courtesy’ to his colleague that it be postponed, given his personal investment on the issue.

There was a brief pause to the meeting for a BFC officer to check the rules, but she subsequently said there wasn’t anything in the rules indicating what the council should do.

Himself and Conservative colleague McLean asked for a formal vote for the debate to be postponed, but it was not supported by other members.

Following a decision from the Mayor to continue the debate, the motion was supported unanimously.

The council agreed to look at the rules after the issues highlighted during the debate.