I was concerned to read your correspondent Rowena Cobb’s letter (August 30) about the changes to charging for transport to day centres in Oxfordshire, and that she had been given only a few weeks’ notice about these.

I am sorry to hear that anyone has only heard about these changes so recently. The county council made the decision to increase charges for people using transport services run by the council in January 2013.

There was a public report which went to the then adult services scrutiny committee in March 2012 where the subject was discussed. A five-month public consultation was then held, the results of which were heard in public at the December meeting of the adult services scrutiny committee meeting.

Recent correspondence from the council was to confirm that the changes were happening and should not have been the first time Mrs Cobb heard about it.

We agreed the changes had to happen because the council has to make sure resources go to people who are most in need of them. Even with the increase, the charges are a small contribution towards the cost of providing the transport services, but will allow for budgets to be used to support the most vulnerable people in our community.

The increased charges only apply to people who have not been assessed as eligible for social care through Fair Access to Care Services. If anyone using the transport run by the council thinks they might be eligible not to pay the charges they can contact our customer service centre on 0845 050 7666.

Cllr Judith Heathcoat, Cabinet member for adult services, Oxfordshire County Council