Fresh row over ARC charges

COUNCIL bosses are under fire amid claims cash demands are being sent to Adult Resource Centre users weeks after charges were suspended. Labour councillors are calling for an urgent meeting with director John Alexander to find out what is going on.

But the council insists they have got it all wrong and should have checked their facts before trying to make “cheap political points”.

Council leader Ivor Hyslop admitted final demands have gone out but not for ARC session charging.

The claims emerged at a heated meeting of the local branch of the Enable charity, which helps people with learning disabilities, in Castle Douglas.

According to Labour, at least one woman from the town produced evidence to show a final reminder for outstanding cash. She did not pay for other services and the “out of the blue” demand for s60 was the first time she had been billed.

They insist they did check their facts and are standing by the claim it applied to charges for use of ARCs suspended on June 28.

Labour’s social work spokesman David McKie said: “Another week, another shambolic chapter in the council’s ARC charges fiasco.

“You couldn’t make this sort of incompetence up.

“The council is sending out final demand letters for ARC charges, even though they are suspended.

“The letter from the council warns that ARC users may face “further recovery procedures” unless they pay up.

“This is causing serious distress to some of the most vulnerable people in our region who are worried about the consequences.”

However, Councillor Hyslop insisted Labour members are the ones causing distress.

He said: “Their actions are highly irresponsible and may be viewed as making cheap political points and further raising anxiety within a very vulnerable group of people.

“If Labour had taken the trouble to check the facts, as I have done, they could have avoided making these misleading public comments.

“They should apologise now for their actions in this regard.

“Having checked with the director of social work, I can confirm that the collection of all charges attributable to ARC services was suspended following the decision taken at full council on June 28.

“If people are receiving other services and have the financial ability to contribute to the costs of those services, those contributions will continue to be collected by the council in accordance with its agreed charging policy.

“That is what has happened in this instance.”

However, Labour produced an email from a senior social work chief which admits a “mistake appears to have been made”.

It was sent to Councillor McKie on Monday and states: “As we agreed, people should not be getting final reminders about ARC charges from the council as they are suspended at the moment.

“The text below is an explanation from our finance team about how a mistake appears to have been made.

“We do of course apologise most sincerely for the mistake and any distress caused.”

It goes on to say a “service user” complained to the finance department about a reminder letter received.

It suggests that a billing element for ARC use was included with charges for other paid-for services and sent out to users. An inquest took place on Friday and it says adjustments will be made to future bills.

Labour also insist that the lady in Castle Douglas who received a cash demand had never paid charges before.

MP Russell Brown, who earlier this month submitted a Freedom of Information request to the council to seek answers on how the charge was brought in, added: “The whole thing is a mess and the council is all over the place. Councillors and ARC users have been misled time and again. We need the truth.”