A respite centre used by some of the area’s most vulnerable people is set to close under county council proposals.
The Observer reported earlier this month that Hargreaves House in Oswaldtwistle could get a share of £7 million funding to improve facilities across the county.
But last week county bosses published the results of a consultation into having three or four ‘super-centres’ for respite care across the county and closing the eight existing centres
Under the new plans there would either be three units in Lancaster, Preston and Accrington; or four at Lancaster or Morecambe, north Preston or south Wyre, Chorley or West Lancashire and Accrington or Nelson. But council bosses Hargreaves House will not be one of them.
This means if the latter option is given the go-ahead families would be forced to travel outside the borough to travel for much-needed care.
Campaigners who have battled for two years to save Hargreaves House say the four centre solution was not ideal but better than no service at all.
Pamela McCullagh whose 19-year-old son Andrew attends the centre said Hargreaves House was no longer fit for purpose due to a lack of investment.
She said: “The new units are going to be ace, they’re top of the range. Of course it will be difficult if parents have to travel to Nelson, especially in the holidays when they don’t have school transport provided but it’s better than nothing.”
But Oswaldtwsitle councillor Colette McCormack said parents and people who used the centre would be ‘devastated’ by the decision. She said: “It’s such a shame that Hargreaves House is closing - people fought that for quite a while and a lot of people will be very upset about this.
“I’m lost for words really, it went on for so long we thought there was light at the end of the tunnel but now its out of our hands.”
She added it was ‘not feasible’ to expect service users to travel a long way for respite care.
But Susie Charles, cabinet member for children and schools said the proposals were the result of hard work over two years. She added: “We have come a very long way indeed. Parents and carers have been involved throughout and I should like to take this opportunity to thank them for the hours of time they have freely given, and for their unique insight and advice. Parents of children with disabilities, both now and in years to come, can look forward to a well-designed range of services which will meet their and their children’s changing needs.”
The plans also include continuing the Lancashire Break Time programme of evening, weekend and holiday activities , building four new overnight break units across the county, setting up a support network for parents, setting up a network of specialist carers to provide overnight breaks and considering giving parents and carers more of a say in the management of residential units. A county council spokesman added the closures of the existing units would be phased with the opening of the new ones so there was no gap in care and the locations had not been finalised.
