Council considers legal bid

North Yorkshire County Council is preparing to challenge a key
part of the community care legislation in an appeal to the European
Court of Justice.

It is considering a bid to the court to overturn the UK law
which grants extra income to elderly people in independent sector
homes, compared with those in council-run places.

Andrew Cozens, senior assistant director of social services,
said the council was trying to prevent most of its homes having to
be transferred to the independent sector: ‘Councillors are keen to
have a balanced market; we already have a very large independent
sector, and our homes are popular.’