PEOPLE living in caravans on Ewood travellers’ site in Blackburn have asked Blackburn with Darwen Council to provide them all with their own key meters to buy their electricity.

They have petitioned the borough’s ruling executive board for the change because, when the site manager is absent, they have to go to the Town Hall to settle their bills and buy credit.

Officers have looked at their request for the pre-payment meters, which are normally only provided to permanent, individual dwellings.

The electricity supply company is unwilling to provide individual meters to their caravans and mobile homes and will supply only a single meter for use on the site, unless the council is willing to pay the cost for wiring to each individual plot.

Senior councillors have been advised to reject the request and instead bring in a system where the residents are able to pay their bills over the phone to the Town Hall, using a credit or debit card.

But the officers admit this may not suit many of the travellers, who prefer to pay by cash.

A report to councillors says the residents check how much credit they have left by viewing meters on site.

It adds that since the current system was introduced, the full cost of all electricity used by site occupants had been recouped by the council.