A WIRRAL man whose late mum’s social services care package was stalled in delay scandal today placed a letter of apology from the council on her grave.

James Robinson, from Birkenhead, was given a full apology by council leader Jeff Green on behalf of the authority for his mother Esther’s poor treatment by adult social services during the last months of her life.

Today he placed the letter on her grave at Landican Cemetery, where she was laid to rest in 2009.

The apology came after Mr Robinson was forced to watch his 79-year-old mother slowly “deteriorate” after vital home help services were cut by the council and family members were left to fill in for the reduced level of care.

Although he suspected “foul play” within the system, he was led to believe a four-week wait for care assessments was normal.

But it was revealed by the Globe website last month that the delay was often deliberate.

It was never agreed by councillors and could even turn out to be illegal.

The town hall had denied on more than one occasion that such a policy, albeit "unofficial", even existed.

The scandal was only exposed after a series of emails were forced from the local authority in response to a Freedom of Information request by former social services employee Andrew Campbell.

Mr Robinson, 50, said today: “This apology is all we ever wanted and I am so pleased to be able to put this letter on her grave.

“My mother was not the type of person to be part of this blame culture we live in so I know a sincere apology would be enough for her and she would have accepted it.

“For a long time after her death we felt like we should have done more for her and questioned the council more but now I finally feel like we did all we could.”

Mr Robinson has been invited to meet with an adult social services senior manager on Thursday to give full details of his mother’s ordeal - and it is also possible that he may help the department to improve how it operates.

He added: “In my opinion, there needs to be much better communication between vulnerable adults and their families.

"My mother’s care package was cut without any consultation with myself or even her GP.”