PLANS to cut the council's home care staff and distribute the work among agencies have been given the go ahead despite vocal protests.

Home care staff gathered outside York House with placards before the Richmond upon Thames Council cabinet meeting last week, where the plans for a voluntary redundancy programme were approved.

But the recommendations have been met with heavy criticism by Unison, the union for public workers, which claims the council is allowing the service to wither.

In-house staff for elderly home care services cost twice that of agency recruits and Richmond council intends to transfer more of the care it provides into the hands of the independent sector after asking for voluntary redundancies.

It is claimed around 70 per cent of staff have already accepted this proposal.

Stuart Barber, regional officer for Unison, said: "We have negotiated on shift changes.

"In a sense they are allowing the service to wither on the vine. They appear to be privatising by the back door because they refused to guarantee the future employment for the remaining 30 staff.

"We intend to have a meeting with social services chiefs in the next ten days, pressing our case again."

Twickenham MP Dr Vincent Cable has met with the staff who face redundancy. He said: "The staff have been dealt with very badly.

"There are staff who have been loyal servants of the council for many years.

"I am very worried about the general level of public complaints about domiciliary care, most about agencies.

"If the council is going to make it a success a new policy is going to have to be developed.

"They will have to make sure the staff are properly supervised and ensure there are sanctions if they don't meet standards."

Council leader Tony Arbour defended cabinets decision, saying: "This proposal will ensure that more help will be available for residents in need of domiciliary care.

"We want people to be able to stay in their homes rather than go into residential care.

"We know that residents prefer to stay in familiar surroundings and the council is increasing the resources that will enable them to do this."