FOSTER carers in Glasgow have accused social care bosses of betrayal after they refused to implement a 10 per cent increase in allowances and threw out a proposal to recognise their union.

The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) members said that Glasgow City Council agreed to increase childcare allowances for foster carers and to union recognition.

Foster care services are run by the city’s health & social care partnership (HSCP), but the officials running the services have rejected the recommendations.

IWGB president Alex Marshall said: “This is nothing less than a betrayal of Glasgow’s foster carers and the vulnerable children in their care. 

“The fact that unelected officers in the council can outright refuse to implement democratic decisions is a threat to democracy in Glasgow.”

IWGB foster care worker branch chairman Kenny Millard said: “It is totally unacceptable that unelected officers in the HSCP have decided to stand in the way of Glasgow’s democratic process. 

“The 10 per cent increase to child allowances voted on by our elected representatives will make a huge difference to the lives of our foster carers and the vulnerable children in their care who have seen incomes frozen for a decade. 

“Because of the HSCP’s deeply undemocratic decision, hundreds of foster carers across our city are facing another year of real-terms cuts to their income at a time when the cost of living is skyrocketing.”

The union says that the real value of allowances has fallen by 24 per cent.

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “Following a review of expected national allowances, the IJB [Integration Joint Board] agreed to uplift allowances for kinship and foster carers with children 0-10 years.

“Glasgow remains as one of the local authorities paying higher than the national average and has been for a number of years.

“We continue to be part of the national debate and await the outcome of ongoing Scottish government and Cosla discussions around a national decision on fostering fees and allowances.”