WITH regard to the story 'It's not good enough' (Globe, March 14), it is right to ask who awards the charter mark. I would imagine not one member of the public is asked their opinion. When you phone the DSS, you are told you are 10th in the queue. After listening to the Trumpet Voluntary for 40 minutes, you are then connected to a person.

I manage a small residential care home for 14 residents. One gentleman who came to us from the country, and has been with us for a month, has not received one penny from the DSS, not even his basic pension.

A resident who has been with us for many years was asked to return her book as she was being underpaid. That book has not been returned to us now for three weeks. If these people lived on their own, how could they survive? They are fortunate to be in a warm home with three meals a day, and someone to look after them.

We do all this for £1.28 per hour. That is how much Wirral Social Services pay a homeowner for 24-hour care for the elderly - it is less than is paid to keep an asylum seeker.

Why are we one of the third highest council tax payers in the country? Where does the money go? Not on our elderly, most of whom have worked all their working life. According to the government, unemployment is at its lowest since 1975. Wonderful news. But does anyone compare what the DSS now pay in other benefits? As a small employer, tax credit is crippling. We were told that it would be paid in advance. I have three people with a total of £340 per week being paid to them. As yet, I have never been paid in advance. I employ 21 people part-time. Being a small business, if the residents' fees are not available, to meet the wage bills I have to supplement them from my own pocket until the council or DSS decide to pay me.

This council, or government, are not interested in small businesses. If Councillor Harry Smith would like to come and see the problem we have with this authority, he could have an interesting day 'on leave.'

Park House Residential Care Home For The Elderly, New Brighton.