Social work whisteblower gets job back following newspaper campaign

A whistleblower at Wirral Borough Council has been offered his job back after a long running campaign by local paper, the Wirral Globe.

Martin Morton was a manager in adult social services at the council, but he said he was driven out of his job after he discovered that vulnerable adults in the care of the authority were being “systematically overcharged” for their accommodation over a period of 7 years.

He said that he raised his concerns a number of times but was “ignored, bullied and driven out of his job.” Eventually he was paid £45k to “leave the service and keep quiet.”

Instead he got in touch with reporters from the Globe. The newspaper exposed the story and ran a campaign for an inquiry to be held. It led the council to suspend 2 senior officers (they were later reinstated) and repay 16 care home residents £250k.

Following an independent report into the bullying claims, council leader, Councillor Jeff Green said that Morton was “treated disgracefully.”

“On behalf of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, I apologise for the mistakes of the previous administration to both Martin Morton and the people we ripped off.

“Martin Morton worked for the council since 1990 in a department that exists to protect people who cannot always look after and protect themselves.

“He tried his best to fulfil that duty but was prevented from doing so.

“The report into the allegations Martin Morton made was considered by cabinet, albeit ‘in secret’ due to the impending disciplinary action we will be bringing against those responsible.

“I want the people responsible for this shameful, disgraceful episode in Wirral’s history to be disciplined.”