A COUNCIL has been hit by further accusations of meanness for not allowing nursing home staff to accept gifts from grateful residents.

James Hutchinson says he regularly gave a box of sweets and biscuits to carers working at Darlington's Gladstone Hall nursing home.

He said the gift was a just a small token of appreciation for those who look after his 96-year-old mother.

But, just before Christmas, Mr Hutchinson was informed that individual members of staff at Gladstone Hall, which is due to close shortly, could no longer accept the gift.

In a letter to The Northern Echo, he said: "This directive had come from our caring council who are obviously not content with the home closures and staff redundancies.

"They are now determined to deprive the carers of anything but a verbal thank you."

Mr Hutchinson's comments follow similar accusations reported last week in The Northern Echo, by carers at some of the town's nursing homes, where staff claim they have been told to refuse gifts.

Colin Morris, director of social services at Darlington Borough Council said there has been a misunderstanding.

"The department operates a policy of recording gifts, in order to protect staff from accusations of bribery, or accepting gifts in return for favours.

"However, it also adopts a common-sense approach in that gifts such as chocolates can be accepted by staff if the gift is made freely available to all members of staff and residents in the home.