Vera Wainwright says the centre has become expensive

Vera Wainwright from Ruabon near Wrexham says she is being "stung".

However, the local authority claims its budget for social services has been cut and people wanting to use their free ambulance will have to be means tested.

"It's bad enough to be disabled and sick without being stung over and over again," said Ms Wainwright.

The 73-year-old says she already pays more than �10 per day to attend the Cunliffe Centre and she cannot afford any more.

Demand for social services is increasing at a relentless rate Andrew Figiel, Wrexham Council

"You're paying �10.30 to go there, three pounds for your dinner and then you've got tea and coffee on top," she said.

"I used to go twice a week and now I go once a week because I can't afford to go twice.

"If the charges keep going up and up, it'll close. I sit on a table with four or five people and four of them said they'd stop coming," she added.

At present people wanting to use the centre can be picked up and dropped off at home by a council-funded ambulance.

Around 44 people use the day centre on a weekly basis.

However, Andrew Figiel, Chief Social Services Officer at Wrexham Council says budget cuts have meant they have had to reassess transport to the centre.

"Demand for social services is increasing at a relentless rate and we are trying to meet the needs of an increasing number of people requiring a service," he said.

"In doing so we have to ensure that we make the best possible use of the available budget for those most in need."

The cost of the centre has increased to �10.30 per day

He added that social services will continue to provide free transport for those who require it.

Each individual will be means tested to see if they have a need for transport and also whether they are in receipt of other government support to assist with transport, such as mobility allowance, a motability car or a bus pass.

Special taxi

Ms Wainwright says she does receive around �130 per month in mobility allowance but that money is already accounted for.

"I use my mobility allowance for the care of my car and the care of my electric chair and the odd taxi into town.

"The excuse is that because we have mobility money we should pay to go there.

"I've got a little car but I can't drive it myself, my daughter does."

Ms Wainwright uses an electric chair and says she would not beable to fit it into her own car to go to the centre and if she took her manual wheelchair she would need a carer to help her.

"If I go in my ordinary chair I'd have to have a carer to push me from A to B," she said.

The pensioner claims she would have to pay �9 return to get a special taxi from her home in Ruabon to the centre in Wrexham and she cannot afford it.

"Yes, I can get up and down the village in my chair, yes I have my family but I need someone to have a good natter to," she added.