Bradford council says it is to take disabled and elderly people to court for failing to pay for services they receive. City Hall reporter Olwen Vasey looks at the issue.

THREE YEARS after Bradford Council announced controversial plans to charge for the use of day centres, a major row has flared again.

The Can't Pay, Won't Pay Campaign vanished from the headlines, after the payments were brought in during 1996, in the face of a major, emotive protest.

But underneath the surface the row bubbled on, as scores of people quietly refused to pay the charges.

And now the issue has shot to the surface again - as the authority takes a tougher line, preparing to take four disabled and elderly people to court for non- payment.

Chairman of the Council's social services committee, Councillor Mike Young, defends the action, saying the decision has not been taken lightly and follows interviews, letters and advice.

He has told his Labour colleagues in a private letter that a number of people have refused to pay the charges, which bring in £2.3 million to plough back into social services.

According to Coun Young, some people owe more than £1,000 - but many other service users who are paying the charges feel it is wrong that others do not pay their contributions..

Now the shock news that disabled and elderly people face court proceedings has sparked strong responses from local groups.

A scathing and unprecedented attack was launched today on Bradford Council by a leading advice agency for disabled people.

Peter Clarke, Manager of the Shipley based DIAL advice line for disabled people said: "I think Bradford Council has it in for disabled people."

He said he understood the charges had resulted in large numbers of blind people staying away from day centres and other disabled people were deterred.

But he said it was "clearly not fair" to withold payment and leave other people to foot the bill to keep services running. "I don't think it is right to take people to court. It seems like a heavy-handed approach."

He added there was a problem with the scale of charges because they did not reflect the cost of services being provided by the authority.

The row also brought a strong resp-onse from Bradford Association for Elderly People chairman Philip France. He said people getting attendance allowances did get extra money to pay for help. "But it is sad for people who cannot afford to.

"Personally I think it is unfair if people don't pay, when that is the rule."

On the other side of the coin, Mike Young says the Council is in a "no win situation." He says almost all Britain's local authorities now have charging policies because Government spending settlements are based on an assumption that they have raised income.

He admits in an ideal world it would not happen and respects the principles of people who disagree.

But he says the overwhelming view of his Labour colleagues is that everything possible should be done to recover the mounting debt. He is adamant that the charges are fair and based on income and ability to meet the bills.

Coun Young also points out that there is an appeal process and everything possible is done to help.

Hidden cost of love and caring

Stephen Wilcox may have climbed Europe's second highest mountain and represented his country by swimming in Geneva - but he can't read, has no conception of money and little idea of time.

He can fry an egg, but the kitchen looks like a disaster area afterwards. For Stephen, 40, who lives in Greengates, has learning difficulties which make it impossible for him to do a full time job or pay his keep.

Now he could be one of four people facing court action by Bradford Council for failing to pay the charges for Social Services facilities.

The Council has confirmed that it wants to take four people to court for not paying the controversial bills which were slapped on three years ago.

But Stephen's father, Pip, believed firmly that his son should not have to pay from the benefits totalling about £81 which he receives each week.

Stephen, eldest of four children, was normal until he was about 18 months old. His family do not know whether it was a meningitis virus or a vaccination which caused problems.

Pip, 58, and his wife Hazel, 62, of Roundwood Glen Greengates, say since then they have devoted years to helping Stephen to get the most out of life. Now Pip, a project engineer, says Stephen has withheld payments for the day centre he used to attend because he cannot afford the £2 a week charge.

"I believe we all pay taxes and I don't see why we should pay extra simply because someone has a disadvantage."

He said the charges introduced by Social Services took no account of the costs already being carried by parents, who also saved local authorities large amounts of money by looking after disabled people in their homes.

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