The whistleblower who claims Wirral Council systematically overcharged vulnerable adults in its care for years agreed to be named to explain why he has spent eight years trying to force the authority to “take responsibility” and admit its mistakes.

Martin Morton, the former supported living development officer for the borough’s social services department, says he is “disgusted” that the council only last week conceded that it did owe more than £100,000 to care residents - despite previously insisting it did not.

“We were constantly being told by senior officers that we needed ‘to be the voice of the otherwise excluded’ - but when I tried to be just that they ignored me,” said Martin. “It is just rhetoric.

“The problem is they don’t like an oik like me pointing out a problem because they always have to know best. But they didn’t know best. And the longer this is dragged out, the more damage they do to the local authority.”

He insisted: “This is not about me - it’s about doing the right thing by the very people the council is there to care for.”

In a speech to council last week, Martin explained that his treatment by bosses led such great stress that he had to be hospitalised.

The council has said it will send a letter of apology to Martin. It has also launched a separate investigation into alleged bullying.