A VETERAN councillor who has battled the onset of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) for more than a decade has hit out at the Government over the lack of suitable respite care for his condition.

Cllr Mike Findley MBE is being forced to live upstairs in his Marske-by-the-Sea home while essential renovations are carried out to enable him to live more comfortably alongside his wife, Judith, who is his full time carer.

The former postal worker and union official has campaigned tirelessly and raised thousands of pounds to combat the debilitating condition which causes severe mobility issues for many sufferers.

He said: "I have been living with MND for nearly 11 years with my wife Judith, who is my full-time carer. Because of the building work I will be unable to live in the house.

"We had talked to all the people necessary, my MND Team, my doctor and Social Services - apart from being unable to use my arms and hands properly, and the weakness in my neck, I am able to lead a relatively normal life.

"However, all I've been offered is two care homes that are totally unsuitable and it seems there is nowhere I can go which has the facilities to look after someone like me who needs help with, toiletries, washing, dressing and eating.

"To put me or others in my situation in a care home with people with dementia is totally unacceptable."

Cllr Findley's plea comes days after Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council approved a two per cent adult social care levy to be added to council tax bills for next year as the Government gives local authorities to impose the increase to help care for the ageing population.

The independent councillor doesn't blame his social worker, the NHS or the council for his predicament - he blames the Government and has written to Redcar Labour MP, Anna Turley, asking for help.

"I want to raise awareness about this situation," he said. "There is no respite care for people with MND, which means there is no respite for the people who care for sufferers 24 hours a day. The Government needs to do something about this now."

Ms Turley fears the situation is reaching crisis point.

"This is yet another example of the growing crisis in adult social care and the devastating impact it is having on people who rely on social care services, particularly those with specialist needs like respite care. The situation is at breaking point," she said.

"George Osborne's two per cent local social care levy is a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed to address the crisis and give our elderly and disabled the decent care they deserve.

"The Government should be funding social care properly, not adding to the local taxes people pay with a tax which will not even come close to filling the funding gap.

"It is inevitably family and friends with caring responsibilities and who are already run off their feet, who pick up the slack. It is simply not good enough and the situation must be urgently addressed."

A spokesman for the Department of Health said it was up to local authorities to allocate resources and declined to comment further.