Judicial review launched over closure of special needs day centre

An angry community of parents have applied for judicial review against a decision to close a Burnham day centre for people with special needs.

Burnham Short Breaks is set for the chop as Buckinghamshire Council attempts to find efficiencies. Its attendees are expected to go to one of the other centres instead.

But their loved ones have claimed to feel ‘pressured’ to go to these other sites against their will.

They won’t go quietly – and have been fighting this tooth and nail for months. As well as trying to buy Burnham Short Breaks themselves for community use, they are seeking legal avenues.

Campaigner and mother Hazel Howe told the Advertiser that their lawyers applied for a judicial review earlier this week [December 9].

“If there is a court case and maybe they will do a U-turn,” she said. “I can’t see it [happening], but they have done it before because of pressure.”

Accompanying this judicial review application is an interim injunction preventing the council from closing or selling off the centre for the time being – until the matter goes in front of a judge. 

“We hope it means we can at least get through Christmas, but it will still be looming over us, said Hazel.

“After Christmas, we are going to see the floorboards lifted and the tiles taken off the roof, and our loved ones are going to be kicked out the back door.”

Meanwhile, there is much support for the campaigners, who are being helped by Mencap and ‘some major disabled activist groups.’

“The number of people who have contacted us from right across the country, saying this is absolutely disgusting, has been overwhelming,” said Hazel.

“A lot of the public are rooting for us. You only have to look on social media and see the posts tagging Buckinghamshire Council, saying it is an utter disgrace. I think a lot of people will remember this.

“We want to thank everybody who has got behind us and agrees that this decision was wrong. We can’t thank the public, the councillors and the MP who have been supporting us [enough].”

Hazel decried what she sees as an absence of true democracy on the matter, since the majority of Bucks councillors did not get a say.

“Ninety-seven councillors have been elected – they should have seen the papers, debated it and voted on it, because a lot of councillors do not agree with this decision,” said Hazel.

“Then you have got our MP, Joy Morrissey, who has also come out and said she believes it is the wrong decision to close Burnham. How much more do they [the administration] want?”

Though the council cannot comment directly on legal proceedings, Bucks council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, Isobel Darby, said the closure decision was part of a ‘complete remodel’ of its service.

This involves an investment of £1.5million in day centres and opening a new additional overnight respite facility.

“This is about modernising a service, repurposing under-used buildings and moving away from a building-based support model towards tailored care in the right way for the people who need it,” she said.

 “The families who use the Burnham day centre will be able to access upgraded support services seven miles away at Seeley’s House, or at other suitable care settings depending upon each individuals’ needs. 

“I am a carer myself. I completely understand just how hard change is for families who have had support in familiar surroundings for a considerable amount of time. 

“We know it is an upheaval. We have kept our service users and their families informed throughout this process and will continue to do so.”