26 February (Part 1) - Boxing clever
Half
a dozen or more people had asked me to submit an FOI on the Bexley Box scheme,
at least one from within Bexley Council. On Monday I started to draft one out
but before I got very far in came an email from @tonyofsidcup. He had asked questions
a whole month ago and had some answers.
This is what we learned.
770 boxes were distributed to people mainly if not entirely chosen by GPs; the criteria
being over age 65 and housebound. The cost to the Council was zero and the value
of the included purchased contents was £19,593·16. Amazon and
local shops were the suppliers. The value of donated items could not be assessed and
is not included in the £19k, that being the amount raised from monetary donations
only.
Distribution was by volunteers, often Conservative Councillors. Labour refused to help.
My question would have included the division between commercial donations and
those from private individuals but it is probably not worth asking retrospectively.
I began by thinking the Boxes were a very good initiative but became a little
lukewarm later because donors were left in ignorance of what was going on, but an initiative that cost taxpayers nothing and
benefited 770 residents who had been hit hard by Labour’s mean spirited decision
cannot reasonably be criticised. Our caring MPs in both Crayford and Thamesmead
voted for Granny freezing. Shame on them both
and something to be remembered for the rest of time.
A newspaper report a few days ago which I failed to make a note of said that
elderly people in hospital this winter numbered 31,000 and last year only 17,000.
After paying the additional NHS costs, the amount of money WFA withdrawal has allowed to be sent to the poor living
in warmer climes probably does not amount to much.