Klonowski report says Wirral Council failed to protect vulnerable people

Jan 18 2012 by Liam Murphy, Heswall News

THE Klonowski report accused the council of failing to protect people it was responsible for and focusing on “reduction of cost”.

According to the report, other concerns Mr Morton raised included:

The rape of a vulnerable adult in Wirral Council care, which was not properly investigated.

A gang of men armed with baseball bats arriving to collect money from the manager of a care home.

Poor recruitment procedures which allowed the employment of a member of staff who had a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon.

The report is kept anonymous and some allegations disputed by those involved.

Mr Morton’s whistleblowing allegations arose when he became concerned that a group of vulnerable people with mental health problems were being deliberately overcharged while placed by the council in supported living accommodation from 1997.

The council has apologised to Mr Morton for the way he was treated.

Mr Morton said he was glad the report had shown he was right to raise his concerns.

Cllr Simon Mountney, who took up Mr Morton’s case, added: “This is not finished yet – there are still people in this organisation who need to answer for what they have done.”