SOCIAL service bosses are being urged to put people before money amid fears that a £1m cash pledge from Worcestershire County Council reserves will have to be repaid.

The social services department is using £1m of reserves to protect adult services because of a £2.1m overspend in its children's services budget for 1999-2000.

Worcestershire County Council hopes to cut its costs over the next six to 12 months by using more foster or adoptive parents rather than placing children in care.

Carers will confront the county council bosses over the money at a meeting next week.

They fear that if the money has to be repaid it will only delay a serious impact on vulnerable people and services, which they say have already been "cut to the bone".

Worcestershire Campaign Action Group will meet social service chiefs on Thursday, September 7, at County Hall to find out the extent of the county council's current financial plight.

Representatives from voluntary organisations, carers and disability groups are putting pressure on the Worcestershire authority to give the £1m from reserves without any conditions, to ensure no cuts are made to vital services.

"I feel strongly that services in this county can't be cut any more," said Judy Adams, manager of Bromsgrove, Redditch and Droitwich Mencap.

"In February, county councillors agreed with us that over the years community care services had been cut to the bone and couldn't possibly take any further cuts.

"They should now be strong enough to make a stand for services in Worcestershire and put level of service, quality and vulnerable people's needs before finance."

Jo Crane, district officer for Mencap, said she was disappointed the promise of no more cuts in adult services had apparently "evaporated".

"This will put vulnerable people in a more desperate situation," she added.

Peter Pinfield, portfolio holder for Worcestershire Social Services, said he understood the group's concerns.

"The main problem is that, like other authorities, we have to balance the books," he said.

"We have to live within budgets, but in the coming years a number of initiatives and incentives are due to help ease the problem.

"I'd just ask them to bear with us while we sort out this short-term problem."