Mario Kreft, chief executive of Care Forum Wales, has welcomed the Welsh Assembly Government’s proposals which will see councils team up in future to deliver social care.

Speaking to the Western Mail after the launch of the new framework, Sustainable Social Services For Wales: A Framework For Action, Mr Kreft hailed the new plans as "a victory for common sense".

The document, launched by Deputy Social Services Minister Gwenda Thomas yesterday (February 17, 2011), recognises that 22 separate council departments can no longer deal with a
rising demand and tackle a national postcode lottery in care unless they work together.

Local authorities have until the end of the year to outline
proposals to the Assembly Government as to how they will work together
in future. Officials have made it clear that the status quo is not an
option.

Mr Kreft added: "We, like many other organisations, have been stressing that we simply
cannot sustain 22 different ways of commissioning services with
different eligibility criteria.”