The mother of a vulnerable young woman is “disgusted” Cheshire West and Chester Council wants to close a centre for adults with special needs.
Karen Shannon’s 22-year-old daughter Tyler has cerebral palsy, epilepsy and is partially sighted but loves attending the Mulberry Centre in Sealand Road, Chester, where she receives one-to-one care in a purpose-built spacious facility with gardens and a theatre.
Karen, from Durham Road, Blacon , says the centre gives her respite from the challenges of being a parent to someone with high dependency needs and, most importantly, Tyler is ‘happy’ there.
The mother-of-six is among people being consulted over closure plans by the council’s care provider Vivo.
She believes the real strategy is to sell off the valuable land at the Mulberry and use some of the money to convert Lightfoot Lodge in Hoole – which mainly provides older peoples’ day care services – into a full time centre for adults with special needs.
A council document uncovered by The Chronicle reveals the closure of Mulberry was considered as long ago as 2010-11.
“I think they will get more money for this place than what it will cost them to do Lightfoot Lodge up,” said Karen, who would have concerns around the suitability of Lightfoot Lodge and said the alternative day centre at Canal Street in the city centre had safety issues because it was not secure and next to the canal.
She added: “I’m absolutely disgusted. The parents of the other kids must be going through the same. We all want what is best for our children. They are doing this in the interests of themselves, for money, and I did tell them that – I shouted it across the meeting. This is all down to money and the cut backs the Government are making councils make.”
Parents and Blacon Cllr Reggie Jones have started an e-petition on the council website calling for Mulberry to be retained.
Cllr Jones is also seeking legal advice on whether the consultation process has been carried out properly.
Council spokeswoman Rachel Ashley said “no decision” had been taken about the future of the Mulberry but all responses received during the consultation would be taken into consideration.
She added: “An option is to provide the service from other day care centres and one of those is Lightfoot Lodge.”
