UP TO 140 HOME care staff could lose their jobs as Blaenau Gwent Council attempts to address a £2.5 million hole in its budget.

The GMB trade union which represents many of the council staff who will be affected by the cuts is so concerned it called an emergency meeting last night with Steve Gillingham, assistant director of the council.

Staff from across the council’s at risk departments are to meet their trade union representatives tonight.

Currently, 25 per cent of home care staff are council employees, with the remaining 75 per cent outsourced by independent care providers.

A council spokeswoman said: “As part of tough decisions this council must face, a number of savings proposals should be considered now “Currently 75 per cent domiciliary care provided to residents of Blaenau Gwent is successfully delivered by independent providers.”

The council decided that it would outsource the remaining 25 per cent on Friday at a special meeting of the council.

The spokeswoman said no changes will be made until an agreed way forward has been agreed and communicated to both staff and service users She added that no decision has been made if staff will be made redundant, or whether they will transfer to a new care agency.

Blaenau Gwent’s home care service provides support for individuals with their personal care, from helping them to go to the bathroom, getting up/going to bed and meal preparation.

Nantyglo Sports Centre and two civic amenity sites, at Silent Valley and Bourneville, face closure as a result of Blaenau Gwent council’s cuts programme, though the former could become a community- run facility.

Among other measures to be voted through, 11 public toilets are to close, while charges will be introduced for collection of bulky waste items, and more staff cuts are likely in several departments.

Meetings with staff have been arranged for Wednesday and Thursday, when the decision will be explained by senior officers.