WIRRAL Council last night issued a public apology to a former employee who says he was hounded out of his job for blowing the whistle on unfair charging of vulnerable adults.

It followed a special meeting of the authority’s audit committee which heard evidence from former social services worker Martin Morton.

Mr Morton had described how he had exposed the unfair “special charging policy” in which a small group of vulnerable adults in council care had been subject to extra charging – often leaving them “in penury”, according to committee member Simon Mountney, who has taken up the issue.

Mr Morton also told the committee he had subsequently been bullied and deliberately isolated until he left the authority’s employment.

The council is now carrying out further investigation into the so-called “special charging policy”.

Last night a spokeswoman for Wirral Council said: “The council recognises that the issues raised by the whistleblower in his initial grievance should have been dealt with more appropriately and sincerely apologises for the stress that it has caused.

“We continue to express our appreciation to him for raising these matters and providing evidence to the investigation.