SURREY County Council was accused of “running cap-in-hand to charities” after announcing a deal with Crossroads Care, which will see volunteers replacing council employees in giving carers a break.

Surrey’s Labour leader Robert Evans said: “The Conservative Government’s under-funding seems to have forced the county to go running cap-in-hand to charities like Crossroads Care to cover their own incompetence.

“Crossroads and the army of voluntary carers do a terrific job in supporting our older residents, but it has come to something when a wealthy place like Surrey can’t support people who have spent a lifetime paying in for public services.

“The council chiefs have their priorities wrong.

“A little while ago they were giving themselves allowances rises of over 50 per cent and increasing the number of councillors in receipt of bonuses.

“It’s small wonder they can’t afford to pay for these services when they are pocketing so much for themselves.

“Looking after our older people is a key responsibility for the county council, but at the moment, they seem unable to do so without resorting to voluntary help and charities.”

The council announced last week working in partnership with Surrey’s six clinical commissioning groups, it was poised to sign contracts that will give carers breaks to recharge their batteries.

Under the deal with Crossroads Care, more staff will go into homes to care for loved ones, enabling an extra 500 days of breaks to be provided.

Action for Carers Surrey has agreed to increase the number of people given support to 20,000 a year as part of its contract, as well as operate extended hours stretching into the evening and on Saturdays.

The move aims to ensure families can stay together in their own home for longer, at a time when rising demand for adult social care will leave the council with a £30 million funding gap next year.

It has been estimated the authority will need to spend up to £10million more annually on providing expensive types of support in care or nursing homes over the four years the contracts could last. The initial deals will run for two years with options to extend them.

Mel Few, Surrey County Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said: “Carers play an invaluable role and make such an enormous contribution in helping people stay in their homes, which is what they want.

“That is why it is vital we do as much as we can to help them. Without Surrey’s unsung heroes we would face the prospect of spending up to £10million more a year on care for their loved ones at a time when growing demand for services for older and disabled people is putting our finances under severe strain.”