People with mental health problems who attend a day centre in Newhaven really look forward to their pay packets.

Even though the amount is just 80p a day, it's a symbol to them that their hard effort is appreciated.

Now East Sussex County Council is planning to axe the payments to people at Avis Way there has been an outcry.

It's true the payments generally have been stopped since 1987 and they are made only to people who were at Avis Way before then.

The money saved, about £60,000 a year, is being ploughed back into providing extra services for more people.

But it's a mean and heartless decision which will be hard to explain to some of the people involved.

The amount of money involved is small and the number of people receiving the payments is declining.

It would be far better to keep the payments as they are.

Instead, the council has picked an unnecessary fight with some of its most vulnerable users.