COMMENT: Closure plan is premature (From Free Press Series)

COMMENT: Closure plan is premature

6:30pm Thursday 25th February 2010

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CLOSING Budden Crescent Respite Care Home is, in our view, an ill-thought-out plan and we urge Monmouthshire County Council to go back to the drawing board.

Of course when neighbouring authority, Torfaen Council announced it was to withdraw its portion of the funding from Budden Crescent, there were bound to be ramifications. The sudden cut in funding was bound to have an effect.

But we feel the decision to announce the closure of such a well-respected and, in the council's own words, effective service is premature.

One of our concerns is that closure is being suggested without a definite alternative in place, leaving the many families who use the home understandably concerned about the future.

The overwhelming feeling is that the service is being taken away to save money and hundreds of people have already signed a petition against the plan. They have our support.

It is right that the council should look at ways of improving respite care for families of adults and children with disabilities across the whole of Monmouthshire, but this review should not take place in the shadow of a plan to close a service which has helped countless families since it opened 18-years-ago.

This is at risk of giving the impression that this is a foregone conclusion. We would like to think that it is not and also that the council will listen to the many arguments being put forward to save Budden Crescent in Caldicot.

Respite care is vital for families who cope every day of every week with the demands of looking after a child with disabilities – a task which becomes increasingly difficult as those children turn into adults.

Having the chance to get away for a few days gives the families the vital respite they need to be able to carry on caring.

And having a tried and trusted service like that provided by the highly-respected staff at Budden Crescent on which they can rely, is no less than a lifeline.

We strongly urge Monmouthshire council to reconsider its plans for Budden Crescent and to see if there is any way the home can be included in a wider, improved provision of respite care across the county.

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