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Local authorities must not end up commissioning services rather than providing them under the reforms outlined in the adult green paper reforms, Unison’s local government conference heard today, writes Maria Ahmed from the conference in Glasgow.

Owen Davies, national officer for local government, told the conference in Glasgow that the union would "vigorously oppose" the move, which he identified as an "underlying theme" of the proposals.

He also called for more social services funding to back the reforms.

Davies said: "You can't have high quality services for bargain basement prices. If ministers really want reform, they have to fund it."

At the same time, Kent Council’s UNISON branch called on local government employers and other social care providers to pay the registration fees of social care staff.

A Kent UNISON delegate told the conference that Kent Council had paid lawyers’ registration fees of £700 but had been initially reluctant to pay social worker's £30 registration fees.

She said other workers faced "similar battles" across the country, with many social workers paying their own registration fees.