GRANGE councillors have been warned they need to do more to cater for the needs of disabled people or risk expensive court action.

Margaret McDuff, of the Townswomen Guild and a trustee for the Blind Society, told Grange Town Council to think harder about complying with the Disability Discrimination Act, which comes into force next month.

Councillors vacated their usual meeting room on the first floor to meet in the main hall on the ground floor because they had been informed a disabled person was attending.

But Mrs McDuff an adviser for Barrow's Citizens' Advice Bureau who also lectures on the Disability Discrimination Act - said this was not good enough.

She said at present, people who were disabled were unable to become a councillor because they could not attend the meetings.

"I gather you are down here this evening because you knew a disabled person was coming," she said. "What if a disabled person just wants to turn up? Also the council offices are upstairs so if I want to see the town clerk, I understand I have to ring the bell. Where does he see me? In the corridor, in front of other people? What about confidentiality?

"The Disability Discrimination Act is going to be enforced by case law. I won't be taking court action but there might be someone else who does, and the cost of that could be enormous."

She added that councillors had to think more broadly about disability provision other than just providing wheelchair access and needed to think about catering for those with hearing and sight problems.

Sylvia Brown, the president of the Townswomen Guild, told councillors the group would support the council in making better provision.

"I recognise some measures have been taken but the phrase soft service' comes to mind. Really I feel it would be lovely if the Victoria Hall could follow the example of The Coronation Hall in Ulverston and Kendal Town Hall and get a lift installed. So many people in the town would be anxious to support you."

In the council's defence, mayor Coun Robert Leach said council agendas could be transcribed into Braille, and there was a private room available for the clerk to see those who could not make it upstairs to his office.

He added that the council had considered adding a chair lift but the fire service had not been happy with the proposal.

The idea of a lift that could cost in the region of £20,000 was not embraced by councillors.

"Based on the attendance we normally get, I would ask whether we would get our money back for spending £20,000 on a lift for one person a year to come to a meeting," said Coun Mark Hadwin.

Coun Leach said he would refer the matter to the Victoria Hall committee for more thought.