A NEW £150 million package to help fund social care services is ‘too little too late’, according to Bolton Council’s new leader.

The Government announced yesterday that it is providing a further £150 million in 2018 to 2019 for an Adult Social Care Support Grant to be shared between councils across the UK.

Cllr Linda Thomas says the cash is not enough to plug the social care funding gap.

She said: “How many more Tory sticking plasters to save adult social care before the Tory government grasps the nettle and delivers a long term solution for the sector? This afterthought is too little too late.

“We are looking at how our residents’ share of these crumbs from the Tory government table will impact our financial planning for the year ahead. We will be making it clear in the council’s budget proposal later this month.”

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said the Government will ‘expect to see councils use it to build on progress so far in supporting sustainable local care markets’.