BOLTON Council is planning to create a new company to deliver adult social care services across the borough — in a bid to save £3.5 million per year.

But unions bosses believe the move will affect staff and care levels and members have registered a vote of no confidence in chief executive Paul Najsarek.

Cabinet members have rubber stamped the formation of Bolton Care and Support Ltd — a not for profit, public company which will handle all of the adult services currently undertaken by the authority.

The council said savings will come from staff at the new company being offered “less generous” pay packages — but insists the service levels will remain the same.

The move has not been welcomed by council trade unions, Unison and GMB, which believe that pay could be slashed by as much as 40 per cent, a figure refuted by the council. The unions have balloted members and announced an “overwhelming” vote of no confidence in new chief executive Paul Najsarek.

They are calling for the plans to be put on hold while further discussions about other options can take place and have lodged an official dispute with the council, arguing that they were not invited to discussions at an early enough stage.

The adult services department at the council currently has about 400 staff members and bosses say this number — and the service offered to vulnerable people — will not change.

The services that will transfer to the new public company will include day care, extra care, respite care, supported living services and the shared lives service.

The department says it needs to save £7.75 million by 2017 because of government cuts and believes the formation of a new public company is the best way to do this without affecting services.

The expected £3.5 million savings will come purely from the lower wages and terms offered at the new company compared with those currently working at the council.

Staff members will be offered three options — with those wanting to transfer to the company on the same pay and conditions legally allowed to do so if they wish.

But the authority is banking on some staff taking up the other two options, including voluntary early retirement or a buyout — where they will be offered a compensation sum to switch to the new, lesser pay option at the company.

Any new staff members replacing those who have taken voluntary redundancy will start on the new terms.

John Livesey, acting director of children’s and adult services said he has briefed staff on the proposed changes and said people had acted in a “very professional manner”, he added that he is looking forward to sitting down with the unions in the near future to discuss the full terms and conditions and hopes to “work through the current dispute.”

Bolton Unison’s assistant branch secretary, Andrea Egan said: “We held the ballot for the no confidence vote in the chief executive because the council has refused to put their plans on hold. We believe they have undermined our collective bargaining by already sending out briefing notes to staff about buyout packages.”

A new managing director will also be appointed and the council said it is hoped that the new company could eventually grow to deliver new services and bid for new contracts, potentially creating more jobs.

Deputy Council leader, Cllr Linda Thomas said: “Service users should continue to receive the same level of care and we will endeavour to keep disruption to a minimum.”

Responding to the vote of no confidence in the council’s chief executive, council leader Cliff Morris said it was “disappointing” that the unions had made Mr Najsarek the focus of the issue.

He said: “I have every confidence in our chief executive. We promote an open door policy when it comes to collective bargaining but they have chosen not to approach us directly about this matter. This is in spite of the fact that we are currently in consultation with them about the proposals and have carried out extensive staff briefings, where we have received some positive feedback on what the future model of adult social care services might look like. The unions have recently informed us that they are formally in dispute with the council over the planned new company — However, we continue to welcome an open dialogue and have offered an extended consultation period of three months.”