A 'RAGING' Greenock man with multiple serious ailments says council bosses are 'imposing a tax on care' by charging vulnerable people for the use of community alarms.

Municipal Buildings officials have told 2,700 Inverclyde residents telling them they must pay £2.50-a-week for the privilege of having the 'lifeline' units in their homes.

But Stuart Cameron, 63 — who has suffered multiple heart attacks and walks with the aid of two sticks — is refusing to stump up the demanded fee and has branded the local authority 'heartless'.

Mr Cameron said: "Just please leave us with our free alarms.

"Too much money is being wasted by the council and costs are being passed on to ill people who don't deserve to be treated like this.

"People are finding it very hard to live and make ends meet these days and this charge is only causing unnecessary stress.

"The council has imposed a tax on care."

Mr Cameron added: "I've spoken to lots of people who think the same as me, but I'm taking a stand and I'm prepared to hand the alarm back in need be.

"I'm not going to pay this charge.

"Surely we are saving the council money by living as independently as we can without clogging up care homes?"

Cash-strapped Inverclyde Council agreed the £2.50 charge as it sought to deliver a balanced budget amid cuts to services elsewhere in the face of an unprecedented squeeze on public spending.

But Mr Cameron is urging elected members to reconsider the levy in the same way that SNP councillors are pushing for a u-turn on a decision to scrap free swimming for the over 60s.

As well as a heart condition, Stuart is deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other, has had his gall bladder removed, has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and also has a cyst on his brain.

He said: "I think that it's just heartless of the council. These alarms are a lifeline to people who need them.

"I have a mountain of illnesses. I'm on 40 tablets a day and if I collapse in this house I'll die in this house.

"It seems to me that the softest targets are always hit first.

"I'm absolutely raging about this."

A council spokesman said: "An extensive public consultation was carried out on a range of potential savings and was an opportunity for local people to inform the budget setting process. More than half of the people who did take part supported introducing this charge.

"It is worth highlighting that the £2.50 charge is lower than the charge we consulted on and is lower than that charged by our neighbouring councils."

Another five councils — East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire have also introduced charges for community alarms.