AS a previous member of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) working group which has been tasked with making charging arrangements more consistent across Scotland, I take offence at the comment made by a Cosla spokesperson that "a minority of third-sector organisations would rather shout from the sidelines than sit round the table" ("Disabled people below poverty line forced to pay for services", The Herald, October 25).
I resigned from the working group after more than three years as no progress has been made in relation to making charging more consistent. Indeed the evidence shows that charges are increasing and there is even less equity across Scotland than when the group was formed.
My organisation was one of several third-sector organisations which left the group in December, as we felt we were not being listened to and were not able to achieve anything for the people we represent.
Rather than shouting from the sidelines we intend to use what political processes are available to us to achieve change and make charging fairer, more consistent and more transparent for the people who use social care services.
Claire Cairns,
The Coalition of Carers in Scotland,
PO Box 21624,
Stirling.
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