In Staffordshire, over 2000 older and disabled people were to be affected by a sudden decision to withdraw the maintenance and servicing contract for people using fixed equipment such as stairlifts or specialised toilets with the users themselves having to cover the costs. It left vulnerable people with both the financial responsibility of maintaining the equipment they need and the fear of being without these essential services. Members of Staffordshire Labour Group called in the decision to highlight the unfairness of this proposal, proposed better ways forward and prompted a wholesale rethink which offered a longer transitional period as well as a more affordable solution for service users.