SOCIAL services bosses in East Lancashire have been labelled Christmas Scrooges for the way they are treating staff in independent sector care homes.

Lancashire County Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council have refused to make any additional payments to cover some of the higher staff costs created by the extra millennium bank holiday while at the same time giving staff in their own homes double time and a day off in lieu.

Private and voluntary sector will therefore have to foot the bill for the extra bank holiday and for bonus payments made to staff over the festive period.

And Frank Hessey, chairman of the Lancashire Care Association, which represents more than 400 nursing and residential homes in Lancashire, has described the people who made the decision as "Scrooges."

He said: "It is disgraceful that the council have failed to honour their contract with the independent sector homes when, at the same time, they have found the money to pay their own staff.

"This is after Lancashire County Council raised the price for care in its own homes by eight per cent and only gave the independent sector 2.8 per cent. "On top of this, the council's own in house costs for residential care are £100 per week more than they pay the independent sector.

"For thousands of elderly people funded by the councils in the independent sector care homes it is clear that there is very little Christmas spirit coming from the councils."

The association has claimed in recent times that its relationship with the county council is at an all time low owing to what Frank Hessey describes as "continued snubs and breaking of commitments to work in partnership."

He added: "While we have tried to work with officers and members of the county council, our members are now exasperated with their intransigence and double standards.

"There appears to to be a lack of interest in purchasing quality care for the oldest and most vulnerable members of the community."

A County Hall spokesman said: "Staff are under normal conditions of service which apply throughout the millennium period.

"Our working relationship with the LCA is sometimes difficult. We are always disappointed when problems arise, however we are continuing discussions."

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