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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published:16 August 2007

Call centres and costs of Careline

• CAMDEN announced that it would be cutting Careline in order to save £100,000 a year.
This meant the loss of four Careline jobs.
In a letter to the CNJ on March 8 Councillor Martin Davies assured us that no changes would be made. However, a little further on in his letter he stated that the economics of the present arrangement did not make sense, as the calls could be received and forwarded on to Careline by a call centre at a fraction of the cost.
I wish to point out that Camden has no authority to pass on the confidential information of our names and addresses to an unknown third party without our written permission which I am withholding. Cllr Davies also mentioned that other boroughs in Westminster and Kent had been consulted.
Age Concern provides a similar service free of charge in spite of having one of the lowest council taxes. We pay £234 for Careline.
I recently received a very confusing letter from the Promoting Independence Group (PIG) – the contents savoured of Harry Potter and Hogwarts and Co.
The new Careline will be competing with the Samaritans, good neighbours schemes, Community Service Volunteers etc.
The weekday daytime staffing will be boosted and staff encouraged to seek out lonely pensioners to call in on them for cosy little chats.
What is going to happen at night and weekends?
The call centres are being tendered for in this country and will be assessed on the basis of 60 per cent towards the quality of service and 40 per cent towards the cost, though, of course, value for money will remain an important consideration.
It grieves me to think that some 10 years or so ago, the Conservatives worked hard to establish Careline.
By a nice touch, the council’s wish to save £100,000 a year was matched by the councillors deciding they had earned a rise in their fees.
In 2002, 28 councillors were paid five figure sums. What must they be now?
I am afraid Camden Council is a luxury we can’t afford.
BLANCHE MUNDLAK
Oakley Square, NW1

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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