Senior citizens' groups have reacted angrily to the news that round-the-clock residential care for the elderly could be scrapped.

Basildon Age Concern chairman David Downton said the proposals were "unacceptable", and former Basildon Council chairman Ron Austin said the plans were "alarming".

Councillors will meet today to discuss proposals that will see the end of the 24-hour residential warden scheme in the district's 51 sheltered complexes.

Basildon Council chiefs have recommended the scheme be phased out in a bid to save £400,000 a year.

All-day cover will be retained, but the elderly will have to rely on the emergency Careline alarm service during the night.

Mr Downton called on councillors to reject the proposals.

He said: "Basildon District Council has been to many older people a caring and committed council over the years.

"It is therefore astonishing to learn about its proposals to withdraw the 24-hour residential warden scheme in order to save £400,000.

"This is thoroughly unacceptable and should be stopped."

He added: "One has also to consider other important issues which worry older people.

"The neglect and continuous erosion of most aspects of elderly people's lives is very sad and not worthy of a society entering the new millennium."

If agreed, retiring live-in wardens will not be replaced by residential staff.

Future vacancies will be filled on a non-residential basis and smaller complexes will be paired together where practical.

Ron Austin, committee member on the Basildon and District Forum for the Elderly, said: "I totally disagree that this should happen as this warden cover is very necessary.

"I'm quite alarmed that this should be proposed as policy. I'm sure there are elderly people who will suffer.

"If the council has to make cuts, I'm sure there are other areas they could target.

"This service should be the last one they consider cutting."

The cuts are part of the council's attempt to plug a £1 million hole in its housing account.

Last month we revealed council chiefs had written off £250,000 in unpaid council rents by former tenants.

Wickford Conservative Councillor Tony Ball said much of the £400,000 could be saved by chasing up former tenants.

He said: "The council has written off £18,000 of former tenants' rents in the last three months and they've made provisions for a £100,000 loss this year.

"They've written off £250,000 for last year. One has to ask whether they should be more concerned about pursuing former tenants or the health and security of the elderly."

A Basildon Council spokesman said: "The council does everything it can to get the money back but the reason the rents were written off is because it was not viable to get them.

"The two are separate. Even if we had collected some of that debt we would still be looking at other areas."

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