Campaigners fear hike in day centre bill

Campaigners for the elderly in Shropshire fear day centre users face a £16 a day hike in charges.

The Shropshire Association of Senior Citizen Forums has been told that daily fees might rise from £29 to £45 per day.

It is understood the proposal could be included in a new list of savings being presented to the Shropshire Council cabinet on December 22.

Association chairman John Dodson said he was worried that when personalised care budgets were brought in for service users, many would find they could not afford to attend the centres as often.

Yesterday the council agreed to close its day centres in Whitchurch, Ellesmere and Ludlow on Saturdays and bank holidays to save £88,000 a year.

The association is also raising concerns with Shirehall bosses over plans to increase the price of Meals on Wheels from £2.75 to just under £3 per meal.

"It might not seem a big amount but it is still an 8.6 per cent increase," said Mr Dodson.

"For those on very limited income these sort of increases just add to the pain."

The meeting of the full Shropshire Council yesterday overwhelmingly supported a series of service savings totalling more than £3.2 million.

The authority is looking to make savings of £66 million over the next three years on top of the £10 million it has identified in this current financial year to make up for lost Government grant.