WATER pre-payment meters would increase hardship and expose communities to public health hazards, says Burnley anti-poverty campaigner Councillor Alice Thornber.

She condemned North West Water's plans to install the "smart card" system which will automatically cut off supplies to homes when payments run out.

Coun Thornber is a member of the Anti-Poverty Forum on the council which is backing a challenge by 12 local authorities against installation of the meters.

She described the scheme as "a back door method of disconnecting water supplies and depriving hard-up families of current safeguards".

Burnley and Pendle MPs Peter Pike and Gordon Prentice last week backed a motion signed by 100 MPs condemning prepayment plans and pointing out that health, local authority and civil liberty groups throughout the country were also strongly opposed.

Lancashire county is at the forefront of moves by several major local authorities to mount a high court challenge to prevent water companies' installing the meters.

Burnley council has told North West Water it will not allow the devices in any of its 5,500 council homes.

But the water companies say they deal with the occupiers, not the owners of homes and meters are only installed with their full consent.

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