THE man in charge of adult social care in Southampton is facing calls to quit over his handling of service cutbacks

Dave Shields is under fire over the way the closures of Woodside Lodge care home, Kentish Road respite centre and some day services for vulnerable adults have been handled.

He labelled the calls a "political stunt" and Labour council leader Simon Letts has backed him, but has said he has "regrets" about the pace the proposals were brought forward in.

The plans, which will affect 130 jobs, were revealed in the Daily Echo last year and provoked a furious backlash from the relatives and carers of those affected.

In December Cllr Letts said no services would close until assessments had been carried out and suitable alternatives found.

The delays caused by carrying out the assessments mean the services are still open having originally been intended to close in April and the council has now admitted in a report that it is unlikely to achieve the anticipated savings of £570,000 in 2015/16, due to the delays.

Cllr Letts has also denied claims made by the opposition that he said he had been advised by Alison Elliott, the former director in charge of the department, that assessments did not have to be carried out on people affected, which is a legal requirement.

Cllr Letts says what he actually said was that he was advised assessments did not have to take place until after a decision had been made, and Cllr Shields said he was also advised that affected residents should be assessed.

Conservative group leader Jeremy Moulton has called for an investigation into the advice given by officers to cabinet members, while his deputy Dan Fitzhenry is calling for Cllr Shields to go over his "shambolic handling" of the cuts.

Cllr Moulton said: "What is clear is that this has been a cock-up and a disaster.

"Dave Shields clearly didn't do the job properly and the consequences are major disruption to the lives of many families."

Keith Morrell, leader of the independent anti-cuts group, said he would support calls for Cllr Shields' resignation, saying: "Hundreds of people in the city have been badly treated and Dave Shields is the cabinet member needs to accept responsibility for that."

Cllr Letts described the calls as "pathetic" and said that Cllr Shields "has my backing 100 per cent".

He added: "The bit I have regrets about was the fact that officers wanted to go very quickly on it and that's what I have apologised for."

Cllr Shields labelled his opponents "cowardly" for not approaching him directly about their resignation calls, and said: "The primary purpose for carrying out the consultation was to bring about improved outcomes with a tightening financial budget.

"I don't think they understand all of the complexities relating to adult social care funding and the pressures they are facing from continuing austerity, which suggests to me they are not fit to take this portfolio on.

"Trying to make political capital out of these issues is quite despicable really."