SOCIAL service bosses have denied wasting vital housing space for pensioners by using an Ilkley flat as offices for its staff.

As part of a money saving exercise, home care staff have moved from Ilkley Town Hall into a ground floor flat at an old people's complex in Bolton Bridge Court.

The move was slammed by Ilkley Parish Clerk Miggy Bailey who said that the flat could be used to house one of the many infirm old people presently on the long waiting list for suitable accommodation.

"It is a one-bedroomed flat on the ground floor which could be occupied by an elderly disabled person - I think it is absolutely appalling," said Mrs Bailey.

She said she would bring the matter up before parish councillors soon.

Mrs Bailey said: "Why are social services allowing this to happen? People wait a long time for these flats - it is a nonsense."

Mrs Bailey said that the move from the central Town Hall would make it more difficult for people to locate home care staff when they needed them, but Bradford social services area manager Graham Thompson disagreed.

He said that the staff would be available at Bolton Bridge Court offices at times when the Town Hall was closed. Previously, people needing their help were restricted to Town Hall opening times.

Mr Thompson said that the flat occupied by home care staff had previously housed not an elderly resident but the offices of the Careline warden, a service which was transferred to Keighley last year as another cost cutting measure.

Councillor Peter Lancaster, chairman of Bradford's services to older people sub-committee, said: "There is a small amount of re-structuring going on in social services purely and simply to meet budget requirements."

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