Councillors Richard John and Lisa Dymock have called on MCC to protect local home care provision for elderly people, as it’s revealed that the council is re-tendering for the care contract in southern Monmouthshire.

Lougher Home Care has provided a home care service across southern Monmouthshire on behalf of the county council for almost 15 years, providing around 1,000 hours of care every week.

The company, based in Magor, employs around 60 members of staff, all of whom live locally. Their contract is to provide home care for vulnerable adults in in Magor, Undy, Rogiet, Caerwent, Caldicot, Portskewett, Mathern and Chepstow.

Cllr Richard John and Cllr Lisa Dymock visited several of Lougher Home Care’s clients in Portskewett this week to hear first-hand about the high standard of personalised care they receive.

The pair met carers and clients, including 95-year-old Portskewett resident Valerie, who has received daily visits from Lougher Home Care for many years.

Cllr Richard John, Conservative Group Leader, said, “It was so inspiring to meet Valerie and hear how carers go above and beyond day in, day out, to provide the highest quality of care.

“We are really concerned that the council is re-tendering for its home care provision and fear that this is motivated by cost instead of delivering the best possible care to vulnerable people.

“The council is getting a reputation for abandoning quality local businesses in favour of cheaper, lower quality provision from generic national providers. Care for vulnerable people is too important to be determined on cost alone and we call on the council to protect this high quality local care service.”

Cllr Lisa Dymock, ward member for Portskewett, said, “It was heartwarming to hear how Lougher carers go to extraordinary lengths to improve the quality of life of residents.

“Many vulnerable older people in southern Monmouthshire simply wouldn’t be able to live independently without the support of these brilliant carers. Instead, they would be forced into residential care at considerable cost to themselves or the taxpayer.

“We fear that a national target-driven company simply wouldn’t provide this level of care and residents and their families would lose out.

“You can’t put a price on the love, care and compassion that clients receive from trusted, local carers.”