WIRRAL Council will tonight face demands for an independent investigation into how vulnerable people in the local authority’s care remain unprotected from “financial abuse”.

The demand comes just a day before the second meeting of a committee which will consider claims that vulnerable people were overcharged and then the case covered up.

A September meeting of the authority’s audit committee was told the council allowed a “co-ordinated cover-up and serious malpractice” over a special charging policy for vulnerable people in its care.

The allegations were made by former social services employee Martin Morton who also told the committee he had been bullied out of his job after raising concerns about the so-called Special Charging Policy, which was applied at council-run establishments for vulnerable people in Wirral from 1997.

Mr Morton has been backed by Conservative councillor Simon Mountney who will tonight be pressing for an independent investigation into the case.

A notice of motion to full council said: “There remains a substantial risk that users receiving services from one of the council’s service providers are being charged unfairly.”

The motion also said: “It is not clear who is currently ensuring that these service users are receiving adequate protection from the risk of financial abuse.”

Cllr Mountney’s motion also calls on the chief executive, Steve Maddox, to “appoint an independent person of sufficient standing and experience to investigate these matters fully, speedily and rigorously and to bring their findings to the council’s attention, including any disciplinary action, if required”.