Care services face radical shake-up

COUNCILLORS will decide on Monday on a radical overhaul of social care services - which could see a new council-owned company set up to compete with the private sector.

If the plans are approved, the move is expected to slash £3 million a year from the budget, with the new “trading arm” operational by next April.

Councillors will be told “difficult decisions” have to be made. The council employs 450 people to provide around a quarter of adult social care services. This is more costly than the private sector because council staff are paid more.

The three choices facing councillors are shutting a third of existing services, handing over all existing services to a private firm or making the savings by cutting costs and increasing revenue.

If they opt to form a “trading arm” of two companies, one would take on existing work and all current staff, and the second would compete with the private sector and employ new staff on lower wages, thogh at least a minimum £7.11 an hour.