Savings on discount card cut
Dacorum cardholders are to discover the discounts available to them have been slashed.
Dacorum Borough Council has reduced the benefits the card gives as part of cuts totalling 1.2million in the budget.
For the 11,000 people who have cards - mainly the elderly and unemployed - it will mean higher prices at sports centres, lunch clubs and playschemes.
Cardholders who currently get a 25 per cent discount at sports centres and free hire of equipment will find they have to pay higher membership rates.
Lunch club users who now get a 25 per cent discount will find this disappears from April 1, when the changes take effect.
Discounts of 40 per cent at holiday playschemes will also dry up while the discount on bulky waste removal and waste sacks will drop from 50 per cent to 25 per cent.
A letter being sent out to cardholders also says the price and discount to those who get meals on wheels has yet to be decided following the decision to hand over the service to a countywide not-for-profit social enterprise.
Brian Ayling, cabinet chief for service and performance improvement at the council, said: "We understand that some of the changes in discount levels may be a blow to some cardholders. In all our budget setting considerations we have been acutely aware of the most vulnerable members of our community.
"We have been reviewing the Dacorum Card scheme for over a year trying to find ways to save the scheme from closure, and these minor changes have meant that we can do that."
What do you think? Contact the newsroom on 01442 262311.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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