OVER a three-week period some 2,400 people signed the Unite the Union petition opposing the cuts targeted at all but abolishing the subsidised in-house adult special needs transport which gets people safely to and from day care centres and respite care.

I delivered the petition to the council’s Chester HQ and on March 13, the Conservative majority all but ignored our objections and voted to press ahead.

Across Cheshire West and Chester there are 61,000 over 65s of which, nine per cent are registered as suffering long-term illness or disability.

More than 18,600 live in lone pensioner households with one in five having no access to transport.

Of those, only 428 have been regularly assessed as requiring subsidised transport which they must pay towards.

Social workers are being sent out to reassess those 428 against a new set of criteria. A number of costly alternatives will be offered to them on a take it or leave it basis.

We will be running another petition prior to the next election asking whether taxpayers would have agreed to pay the additional £7 per year each to save the service.

Please give the Union your experiences and concerns by contacting: Ron Yarwood, 38 Clifton Drive, Leftwich, Northwich, CW9 8BQ or email ronyarwoodaaeu@tiscali.co.uk

Ron Yarwood Secretary Unite the Union Mid Cheshire Branch