A DEBATE over whether to condemn Government social care reforms produced a split vote among councillors.

The row at a Durham County Council meeting led to Labour and Conservative councillors accusing each other of using “smoke and mirrors”.

However, councillors on different sides seemed to agree the changes “leave a lot to be desired” and would affect people in County Durham unfairly.

Councillor Fraser Tinsley proposed a motion to “condemn” Government changes to adult and social care policy.

The Labour member said: “They must be condemned because the impact will be excessive on people from County Durham.

“The people who are going to pay for this are the people who can least afford it.”

He argued the new £86,000 cap would mean people having to sell their homes to pay for their own social care.

“For most people,” he said, “it’s their house.”

He argued the money would eat up a higher proportion of lower house prices, hitting areas like County Durham harder.

Cllr Richard Bell, deputy council leader and leader of the Conservative group, said the money needed to support the NHS and social care “has got to be found from somewhere”.

He told the meeting: “I would agree that the proposals tabled by the Chancellor leave a lot to be desired.

“The motion does not propose any alternatives to raising National Insurance or the £86,000 cap. This is unsurprising as the Labour front bench in the Commons didn’t have any other ideas either. In contrast, we are trying to constructively propose an amendment.”

He put forward a less strongly worded motion – as with a previous Labour motion over the loss of the Universal Credit uplift.

This proposed the council “considers that the changes made... could be improved” and “will have an unfair impact on residents of County Durham”, with alternative suggestions.

Labour members opposed this, urging councillors to condemn the Government and not to “follow the Tory Party line”.

Labour group leader Cllr Carl Marshall said the amended motion was “watered down”.

He said: “It’s just scandalous and we should condemn it because it’s not right. It’s not a good deal for our communities.”

He suggested councillors were “following your Tory masters”.

Cllr Amanda Hopgood, council leader and Lib Dem group leader, said: “Nobody on this side takes orders from anybody.”

She said they worked with other people constructively, adding: “What this amendment does is goes back with a solution.

“It confirms what’s happening is unfair, is disproportionate that affects the people of County Durham much more than it affects the people in the southern shires of this country.”

Cllr Paul Sexton, from the Durham Group, supported the amendment, saying: “Nobody gives me orders in this cabinet.

“We’re not led by the Tories. We sit down and we talk and we debate and we come up with the best plan.

“We need to change the tone, guys and girls. Be respectful and we’re more likely to be heard.”

The amendment and motion as suggested by Cllr Bell were carried by a vote of 58-49.

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