Council ban on day centre clients' holidays and trips

For years, the breaks have been popular with people who attend day centres in Laindon, Pitsea and Basildon.

Now the council has barred staff from arranging trips, or going on them, because officials are worried the authority could be sued in the event of an accident.

About 1,200 furious day centre clients have signed a petition calling for the decision to be overturned.

Trips have been booked for elderly people at Laindon Day and Activity Centre in Aston Road, Laindon, for 17 years.

Rose Bennett, who celebrated her 88th birthday during a recent two-week trip to Spain with 95 others, said: “If it wasn’t for these trips, I wouldn’t have a holiday.

“This place is my second home.”

Annie Humphries, 59, of Stebbings, Langdon Hills, a member of the centre users’ committee, added: “These people enjoy 50 day-trips a year and four or five week-long or two-week holidays.

“If they just have a state pension, they can’t afford Saga holidays.

“Some have no friends or family to go away with.

“They get a reasonable holiday at a lovely hotel, for a price they can afford.”

Peter Hays, 79, of Tyler Avenue, Laindon, chairman of the day centre committee, said: “Everyone is so unhappy about this.

“The council has not said we can’t have holidays, but it has made it practically impossible.”

Andrew Baggott, councillor responsible for community and housing, admitted the council was worried about liability.

He explained: “If there were to be an accident, the first thing to happen these days would be for someone to ask, ‘Who can we sue?’”

He added: “The council is here to provide facilities at our day centres, but it is not a travel agent.”

He said any staff member who continued to book trips would be in breach of their contract.

The other centres affected are Pitsea Activity Centre in Northlands Pavement, Pitsea, and the George Hurd Centre in Fauners, Basildon. Between them, the three centres have more than 3,000 members.