WIDEMARSH Workshop in Hereford is here to stay, but there could be changes in the way it operates.

That was the message given to more than 80 people who attended a meeting specially called to discuss concerns and rumours about its future.

The assurance that the workshop was safe was given by Sue Fiennes, Herefordshire Council's director of social care who also said she would like to set up a comprehensive Future Employment Group to be involved in all future plans about services for the disabled, not only for the workshop but county wide.

Keith Bladon, chairman of the Friends of Widemarsh Workshop described the outcome of the meeting as positive. He believed they would all welcome such a group on condition that the council listened to, and took notice of, the contributions from users and carers.

"We are told there will be changes, but we do not know what they have in mind. We do want to be involved,'' he said.

Mr Bladon hoped the meeting would have laid the foundation for a much better relationship between workers, carers, parents and staff and the council.

The chairman said there had been a great deal of anxiety expressed at the meeting and those involved with the workshop, providing work for people with disabilities, wanted clear answers.

Ms Fiennes was able to tell them the workshop was not closing and no-one would be charged to attend.

But the vexed problem of 'wages' was not so easy to resolve.

Last year the council withdrew the £4 a week paid to the workers because of Government regulations. A special group had since been set up to sort out an alternative and proposals would be made in a month or two.

Mr Bladon said he did not know what these would be and the workers and their carers were still angry.

He told the Hereford Times the men and women earned money for the workshop through their efforts at catering, carpentry, printing, recycling cards and packaging. The income would more than pay for the £4 'wage'.

He said the council charged them £1.80 a day for transport, 20p for a drink and £1.90 a day for meals which they cooked, but could not afford to buy.

Mr Bladon claimed they believed they had been treated badly, and they wanted to know if they worked, why could they not have the money.

Ms Fiennes promised these points were all under consideration. She said she understood their feelings but they were not employed workers, and the council had to comply with laid down rules.

Hereford MP Paul Keetch visited the workshop on Monday and later said he would seek clarification on the council's necessity to stop paying the workers 80p a day for their efforts.