A CALL for a public inquiry is being made in the wake of a highly-critical report into Wirral Council's adult social services.

Councillor Tom Harney, Liberal Democrat group leader, has called for all-party support for an open inquiry into allegations unearthed in an major investigation by consultant Anna Klonowski.

He has written to the Minister for Care Services, Paul Burstow, urging him to set up the probe.

Councillor Harney says the aim is for council employees who refused to co-operate with the Klonowski inquiry to be forced into giving evidence at a public hearing.

The move comes after the allegations made by former social services manager turned whistle-blower Martin Morton landed on the desk of Prime Minister David Cameron.

Wirral West MP Esther McVey raised the issue of the Klonowski report during Prime Minister’s Questions and asked Mr Cameron to launch a parliamentary probe “to ensure those responsible never work for social services again.”

Councillor Harney said said: "I fully support the intervention of the Prime Minister in this matter resulting from Esther McVey's question in the House of Commons.

"I believe that the only way that public confidence in the council can begin to be restored is through complete disclosure and publicly holding people to account.

“To this end, I have written to the Minister for Care Services to request that, subject to the outcome of any police investigations that may take place, he begin a full public inquiry in order that this process can begin.

“I have been troubled by the non-co-operation of former employees who refused to take part in the council's investigation - a public inquiry would have powers to require people to give evidence and tell us what they knew and when they knew it.

"I would urge the leaders of both Labour and Conservative groups to support me in making this request."

Mr Morton’s allegations – which centred around a “special policy” in which vulnerable adults in council care were systematically overcharged for their rent – were first revealed in the Wirral Globe in 2008.

Further claims listed in the consultant's report were so serious the council is now working with Merseyside Police, who will be considering whether there is sufficient evidence to mount a prosecution.

Included in the 250-page dossier are claims that:

Men with baseball bats turning up at a home run by an independent, unregistered “service provider” demanding money, involving “an individual who had previously investigated by the police for drug money laundering;

* An allegation that a member of a “service provider” staff had a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon;

* An allegation of rape made by one of the vulnerable adults;

* Bank accounts being set up in the names of vulnerable adults and their benefits then removed from those accounts without permission.

A special meeting of all 66 members of Wirral Council will take place next Monday when a motion of no confidence in the adminstration's leader Cllr Steve Foulkes will be put to the vote.