PROTESTERS opposed to changes in Derbyshire's adult care took their emotional arguments to the heart of the County Hall yesterday.

A 150-strong union-organised demonstration took place outside the county council building in Matlock, ahead of many protesters attending a council meeting to make their feelings known.

The county council has agreed to consult on plans to change who is eligible for care support.

It is proposing to stop providing care for those with moderate needs, which could leave them having to pay for themselves.

It is also consulting on a move, called "co-funding", to get people to help pay for their care out of their disability allowances.

One question in the meeting was from Wendy Prati , of Ilkeston, who has an autistic son with moderate needs.

She said: "How can you charge people for the services that are a vital safety net for them, taking away money they already need and use just to exist, week by week?"

Councillor Charles Jones, cabinet member for adult care, replied: "I should like to stress the proposals which are being consulted on at the moment are not about introducing charging based on means testing, but are about introducing co-funding."

Under the changes, those with less than £50,000 of savings would have to pay £23.90 a week from their disability living allowance or attendance allowance.

In another question, a tearful Elizabeth Stevenson, also of Ilkeston, asked for assurances on the future of the council's home help service, which had helped her late mother.

Mr Jones said the authority was still working on its plans for care, but pledged that "all services, including those which remain in-house, will be properly funded".

A motion put forward by the opposition Labour group, asking the council to "oppose the proposed changes", was voted down by the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.

Mr Jones said it appeared Labour councillors had their "heads in the sand" over the measures. The council is seeking to plug a projected £90 million budget black hole.

A second motion from Labour called for a different approach to care homes.

It requested a cross-party working group to drive investment in care homes, and for £6.4 million, allocated for the new Ashbourne library and expansion of Matlock's records office, to be spent on improving care homes.

Council plans to replace many of its homes with a network of care complexes spurred the motion, which was also voted down.

Mick Wilson, spokesman for unions at the council, said he was pleased 150 people had turned out for the protest.

He said: "Charging people for their care is not going to be affordable for some. The way this is paid for at the moment is fine."