By Globe Editor Leigh Marles

WIRRAL'S care services boss is to be given a grilling over why his department is heading to overspend its budget by millions of pounds.

Kevin Miller, director of council social services, has reported they may have to withdraw care from vulnerable people to plug the funding gap - estimated to rise to more than £5m next year.

Now the financial scrutiny committee has summoned him to a meeting on Thursday to explain why his budget is so hugely overspent.

Committee chairman Cllr David Elderton said: "We will be asking some very serious questions which I am sure the council tax payers of Wirral will want answering.

"We want to know exactly how the budget came to be so overspent and, more importantly, what the department intends to do about it."

He said it may be that cash supplied by central government to fund social services is inadequate: "Local authorities are being foisted with more and more responsibilities almost daily. But there is never the extra money forthcoming needed to pay for them.

"There are no easy solutions to how we overcome this deficit. But the situation cannot be allowed to continue and is clearly unacceptable."

In a report to cabinet, Mr Miller said: "The only area where savings are possible is through changing the fair access to care criteria. This involves changing the threshold for services from critical and substantial to just critical."

He said changes would involve "significant human rights issues," would be difficult to implement and require "extensive consultation."

Wirral council has already written to Secretary of State Patricia Hewitt outlining its funding difficulties.

Mr Miller said demand for services now significantly outweighed resources, and the council would also have to consider closing more of its care homes.

It was difficult to make any more staff cuts as it would have a damaging effect on morale, and jeopardise the council's ability to deliver services and meet national standards.

Mr Miller said in his report: "There is an annual increase in Wirral's older population of 2% per year.

"The number of adults with learning disabilities living in Wirral is set to increase from 2,112 to 2,407, and an ongoing increase in clients under 65 has not been matched by an increase in care management capacity."

After the financial group has invetsigated the matter, it will be studied by the council's social services committee to decide how to proceed.