Aberdeenshire Council will repay £1.5million to vulnerable north-east residents caught up in the care charges fiasco after admitting they “got it wrong”.
On the day councillors revealed how they planned to cut tens of millions from the budget, it was agreed to compensate those hit by an increase in care charges.
The concession marks the final twist in a saga which has stretched on for almost a year.
Last December, the social work committee unanimously agreed to scrap a contribution cap on how much elderly and vulnerable people pay for their care.
The policy – which forced some care users to pay thousands of pounds more in fees – sparked public outrage and calls for a review.
Eventually the committee backtracked and agreed to increase the threshold at which charges are introduced from £16,000 to £26,250.
Opposition councillor Anne Robertson, social work spokeswoman for the Alliance group, moved an amendment to make a “one-off payment” to those affected by the changing policy.
She also called for “early communication and engagement” about the charges and regular briefings to avoid a repeat of the debacle.
Mrs Robertson added: “Today we have the opportunity to go some way to right that wrong.”
The new increased charges will kick in from April next year.
Mrs Robertson was backed by deputy opposition leader Karen Clark who said: “I don’t think this is an unfeasible request given the small number of people who are affected by this.
“This was a raid on a number of our most vulnerable residents.”
And Councillor Jill Webster said: “What a mess. We are dealing with some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and lumping on a great charge is unacceptable to me.”
Initial proposals to phase in the new charges over a five-year period were dropped when it was revealed every service user would have to be financially reassessed.
But many in the chamber at Woodhill House spoke out against Mrs Robertson’s amendment.
SNP councillor Linda Clark, a member of the social work committee, said: “You may open up Pandora’s box. I stand up to what I did – I may have been wrong but I did not do it on my own.
“It’s wrong to do this, you send the wrong message. We don’t have the money to do this.”
Green councillor Martin Ford questioned why the issue had become political. He said: “This was agreed unanimously at the time which makes me wonder how one side of the chamber can accuse the other.
“I say that, knowing it had caused great concern for some people. But no one is asked to pay more than they can afford.”
And SNP member Rob Merson launched a fierce attack on the proposal.
“It has been a long day of bleeding hearts and crocodile tears. An election is in the offing.
“Those who can’t afford to pay are not affected by it – our job is to protect the vulnerable, not protect legacies.”
Yesterday was the first full council meeting since the opposition Conservative group snatched two seats from the administration in by-elections earlier this month.
The Alliance are now the largest group in the chamber and as a result Mrs Robertson’s amendment was passed by 32 votes to 29.
Council officers are now committed to repaying the cash before the end of this financial year in March. Councillors will also receive regular briefings on how the policy is being implemented.