Cash-strapped Surrey County Council is set to rely on a charity’s carers as it tries to fill a £30 million black hole.

The county council and Surrey’s six clinical commissioning groups are preparing to sign a contract with Crossroads Care worth an estimated £10 million which would see the charity’s staff go into council care homes.

A council spokesman said the move would allow carers “to recharge the batteries and provide help with their physical and emotional needs” by enabling them to annually take an extra 500 days off.

The spokesman added that the contract would "ensure families stay together in their own home for longer at a time".

But the leader of the opposition Labour party is “cautious” about the new contract.

Surrey Comet:

Councillor Robert Evans (pictured above), Surrey’s Labour leader, said Crossroads’ carers do a “terrific job” but argued that the council relying on charities showed the majority Conservative party had its “priorities wrong”.

The number of people throughout the county needing social care, across all ages, rose 17 per cent over the last five years.

A county council spokesman said in November that the council would need to spend an additional £24 million annually to meet this demand. It is estimated that £10 million of this would be spent on providing the more expensive types of support in care or nursing home over the duration of the contract with Crossroads Care.

But Cllr Evans criticised the Crossroads Care contract and contrasted the cost-cutting measure with Conservative councillors voting to increase their allowances by up to 60 per cent in May 2014.

The allowance increase led to the shock resignation of all the members of the council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP).

From May 2014: Shock resignations in Surrey County Council expenses row

From March 2016: Surrey County Council leader third highest paid in south east of England as expenses bill soars

Cllr Evans said: “It has come to something when a wealthy place like Surrey can’t support people who have spent a lifetime paying in for public services.

“The Council chiefs have their priorities wrong. A little while ago they were giving themselves allowances rises of over 50 per cent and increasing the number of councillors in receipt of bonuses.

“It’s small wonder they can’t afford to pay for these services when they are pocketing so much for themselves.”

Cllr Evans also pointed to a report by the Leonard Cheshire disability charity in November, which showed that the council turned down nearly 80 per cent of requests for social care.

From November 2016: Surrey County Council turns down 80 per cent of social care request due to 'huge financial strain'

Cllr Evans added: “The county has a worrying track record on social care.

“Looking after our older people is a key responsibility for the County Council, but at the moment, they seem unable to do so without resorting to voluntary help and charities.”

From December 2016: Surrey carer support groups face uncertain future after Surrey County Council's contract award to Action for Carers Surrey means hub closures

Surrey County Council also awarded the contract for independent carers support services and home-based breaks for carers to Action for Carers Surrey in November because it could no longer afford to maintain the council-run services.

Surrey Comet:

Mel Few (pictured above), Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “Carers play an invaluable role and make such an enormous contribution in helping people stay in their homes, which is what they want.

“That is why it is vital we do as much as we can to help them.

“Without Surrey’s unsung heroes we would face the prospect of spending up to £10m more a year on care for their loved ones at a time when growing demand for services for older and disabled people is putting our finances under severe strain.”

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