Merton Councillors who voted against a number of new recommendations to protect the elderly “could do better”, the chairwoman of a council committee said.

Cabinet members met on July 2 to discuss proposals by the Healthier Communities and Older People Scrutiny Panel (HCOP), after it was revealed elder abuse had increased by 52 per cent in the past year in Merton.

Sixty five per cent of abuse was said to have been committed unintentionally, with 71 per cent alleged to have been by a family member.

A number of measures to counteract potential abuse and ensure the wellbeing of older people were put forward by HCOP earlier this year.

Cabinet members voted against hiring an additional member of staff for the council’s safeguarding team and printing a booklet giving advice on choosing a residential care home and an idea to establish a “Merton standard” for care homes.

But cabinet members did agree to fund free training for some carers, to give people hiring their own care staff help with CRB checks and to better publicise the adult safeguarding hotline for residents in need of support.

Conservative Councillor Suzanne Evans, who chairs HCOP, said: “I’m pretty disappointed.

“It costs nothing to design and print a leaflet yet Labour says ‘no’ despite having £15m languishing in the bank.

“While I’m delighted many recommendations were accepted my overall feeling was Labour ‘could do better’. 

Cabinet welcomed the report, and stated its own commitment to safeguarding vulnerable adults in Merton.

Councillor Linda Kirby, cabinet member for adult social care said: "I have been closely involved in this, for example leading on the Dignity in Care work referred to in the report.

""The vast majority of the recommendations were agreed. Regarding the leaflet, Cabinet’s response was a commitment to making information available, but questioning whether a leaflet was the only way of doing this. 

"Cabinet has asked to see the action plan being put together by council officers working with our partner organizations.

"I would like once again to reassure your readers that the protection of vulnerable citizens is of the greatest priority to this Labour administration."

In May, we revealed families are keeping elderly relatives at home to protect their inheritance.

Between April and March 2011, Merton Council received 376 reports of abuse against the elderly with nearly all cases occurring in their own home – a 52 per cent rise on the previous year’s figures.

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