A last ditch attempt to force Kingston Council to back down over increased care charges has failed.

A service user had lodged papers with the High Court over the council’s decision to hike charges for people who need help washing, dressing and cooking.

The decision to increase costs for people who use Kingston Council’s domiciliary care service was approved as part of the budget in March, but a service user applied for judicial review in May.

However, she withdrew the application on June 27 after legal advice that the council could show it had considered equalities objections raised during the consultation.

Campaigner Jane Young said: “The fact we were obliged to withdraw the application in no way indicates the decision that was made was fair.

“We had to withdraw the application because there was too strong a risk the council would produce evidence that would persuade a judge they paid due regard to the equality impact.”

Councillor Penny Shelton, executive member for vulnerable adults, said: “This is excellent news for local residents who have been spared the prospect of spending large amounts of public money on an expensive and unnecessary defence of our policy in court.

“Our new policy is now more in line with practises adopted by other local authorities but remains more generous than schemes operated in many other parts of the country.”