MAJOR changes to adult social care at various homes in Warrington will be made after the council approved proposals to out source services, despite concerns raised in an independent report.

Warrington Borough Council's executive board says the changes will protect the quality of social care and health services for adults in the town.

They will see all care homes that remain under council control have their services transferred to a community interest company called Catalyst in an £8.3 million contract.

Centres affected include Woodleigh Care Home, Callands, James Phoenix House, Padgate, part of Mosslands Day Centre, Birchwood, and Gorse Covert Day Centre.

Provision at Greenwood Community Centre, Orford, Oakwood Family Centre, Sandy Lane Community Centre, Longford and Fearnhead Cross Community Centre will also change.

The council's executive board says the 'social enterprise' is the best way of protecting adult care provision in the town.

Estimations suggest it will save £750,00 on current care costs over the next two years.

At a meeting of the council's executive board on Monday night, Clr Pat Wright (Bewsey and Whitecross - LAB) said families 'recognise this is a different way of working' due to budget cuts.

The proposals were approved unanimously.

Deputy leader Clr Mike Hannon (Orford - LAB) said: "We couldn't maintain the level of service as a local authority. That's why this decision is right."

An independent report by the Association for Public Service Excellence raised concerns over privatisation.

It questioned whether a contract could be directly awarded to Catalyst, whether it offered best value, and if other options had been fully explored.

Trade union UNISON has also raised concerns over a 'two tier' workforce, with new employees joining on lower wages than 317 existing staff.

Jason Horan, UNISON branch secretary, said: "Warrington Borough Council paid in excess of £3000 to APSE so that they could consider the proposed business model.

"The report outlined several concerns with the proposal which mirrored concerns made by UNISON.

"The report went on to make certain recommendations that the council should follow before making any further decisions.

"During the course of the executive board meeting no reference was made to the APSE report or the recommendations contained within it.

"Clr Wright has done staff an injustice by ignoring the recommendations made in the APSE report ,and blatantly ignoring a request from UNISON to withdraw the item pending further discussions.”

Clr Pat Wright, executive member for health, wellbeing and adult services said: "The council is facing unprecedented cuts to our funding by the Tory-LibDem Coalition government.

"We have already had £65million slashed from our budgets and over the next four years we now face another £50million wiped off our budget. It is against this backdrop that we have to make difficult decisions.

"This proposal seeks to set up a non-profit making Community Interest Company, like the successful Live Wire and Culture Warrington companies, to deliver our adult social care services from February 2015.

"It will be run by council staff not business speculators, and any surplus income will be re-invested back into services."

Cllr Hitesh Patel, executive member for personnel and communications, added: "Jobs will be safe-guarded, TUPE will protect staff and all new staff will be guaranteed the Living Wage.

"But most of all we will be able to safeguard social care services for the most vulnerable people in our community; the elderly and the disabled.

"Over the 18 months we have had numerous meetings with staff, the Unions, and crucially with the service users themselves.

"What is clear is that doing nothing is not an option, doing nothing puts those who most rely on social care services at huge un-necessary risk.

"I know there are some ideological objections to what we are proposing, we heard the same arguments when we created LiveWire.

"But let's not forget, since LiveWire came into operation we have seen lots of new jobs and apprenticeships being created and significantly better services being delivered. We are confident that the staff going over to run this new CIC will have similar success."