Parents have vowed to “fight with their last breath” to keep open a day centre for adults with special needs after council chiefs agreed to delay a decision on its future.
Members of North Yorkshire Council’s executive committee today (TUESDAY) voted to hold a consultation with users of the Cauwood Day Service, in Malton, rather than approve its closure.
Officers had recommended the centre in Old Malton Road be shut to make way for a proposed extra care housing scheme.
Councillor Michael Harrison, executive member for health and adult services, admitted the proposed closure had caused a great deal of concern for users and their families.
He said: “The overriding priority for the council has always been to ensure that people who have complex care and support needs and their families receive that care and support, and that priority remains.
“There have been a number of queries raised around the report, specifically relating to the day centre, and the loudest concern has been around a lack of consultation.
“Any proposal to close a service is never taken lightly, and I have reflected on the submissions put forward by the families of those attending Cauwood on behalf of those they care for and others.
“Having listened to those concerns, I do not wish to proceed with this report as set out today.”
The meeting at Ripon Town Hall heard from Caroline Garrod, from Helperthorpe, near Malton, whose 24-year-old daughter, uses the centre.
She told councillors the day centre was a lifeline for its users who were unable to access community-based provision.
Suggesting it could be incorporated into the proposed extra care scheme rather than closed, she said: “Cauwood is paramount to the community and all of its service users, and this provision needs to be retained and not just terminated or replaced with a lesser community-based service.”
Stuart Moss, from Pickering, whose son Matty uses the centre, said after the meeting that parents would now form a “battle plan” to fight the closure.
He said: “We will fight because Matty can’t speak for himself — none of the service users can. We have to advocate on their behalf and I’ll fight with the last breath in me to keep it open.”
Concerns over the proposed closure were highlighted by a cross-party group of local politicians led by Norton division member Keane Duncan after details emerged earlier this month.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Duncan said: “I very much welcome the postponement of this decision, but this is not the end of the fight. This has come after 12 days of hell for users and their families who rely upon this service.
“The proposal was to do no consultation whatsoever. The consultation would follow after the decision was taken. I think that is democracy upside down, it’s democracy backwards.
“Now there is an opportunity to listen to those concerns.”
Councillor Steve Mason, who represents the Amotherby and Ampleforth division, raised concerns about the proposed closure at the council’s care and independence scrutiny committee on Monday.
Welcoming the decision to hold further talks, he said: “It should not have got to this decision point without some level of investigation by the committee with the actual oversight of the issue.”
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