News / Politics
No U-turn on cuts to respite centre
Cuts to the number of beds at a respite centre for disabled children will remain in place despite a last-ditch effort by campaigners to force a council U-turn.
City mayor George Ferguson defended the move in the face of anger from parents and staff at The Bush Residential Centre in Hengrove.
During an emotional debate at full council, triggered by a petition of more than 4,000 people, he insisted that by removing the beds the council was diverting money to pay for replacement services which would end up supporting more children in the long-term.
“This does not reflect a cut in funding and it does increase the availability of services to families,” he said.
The mayor was backed up by assistant mayor Brenda Massey, Labour, who said the reduction of five beds would help open up the service for about 50 or 60 more children through day trips and other respite services.
“We are now able to widen the pool of opportunity to more people who haven’t had the opportunity in the past,” she added.
But the council heard from families who said they were “desperate” to see the beds – which cost the council £325,000 per year – restored, and urged the decision to be reversed in the light of the announced closure of St Christopher’s School for special needs children.
Dawn Jones, who brought forward the petition, said it was not the belief of the campaign that replacement services were adequately providing for children’s needs.
“Over the last few months it’s shown the disabled children services are not providing what they said they would,” she said.
Helen Neale, who has a 16-year-old son with complex needs, urged the council to reverse the cuts to enable families to get a break from full-time care.
“Five (beds) is not enough to meet the needs of a large city with so many desperate families in need. These families are already in crisis.”
She added: “If you do not reopen these five beds and operate at full capacity there will be many families sent over the edge.
“These children cannot access other services. Their needs are severe and their families are desperate.”
Ferguson added that he takes “full responsibility” for the decision to continue with the reduced number of beds.
Pictures from “No to Cuts to the Bush” Facebook page
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