Demand for emergency Sunderland Council meeting as disabled kids respite breaks plan delayed

Opposition Lib Dem councillors are calling for an emergency Sunderland Council meeting to be called to get to the bottom of why plans for a new venue for Council-run short respite breaks for disabled children in the city have been withdrawn.

Planning permission to convert the Red Gables property in East Rainton into a specialist venue for short breaks have been withdrawn by the Council despite local families being told that the new services should have been up and running by Autumn 2024.

It means the whole process will have to start again, with a fresh consultation and bid for planning permission setting the whole project back.

City councillors have not been informed why the decision has been taken or what the impact will be on getting new short break services for disabled children and their families up and running following the withdrawal of the previous services at Grace House last year.

Now opposition Lib Dem councillors are calling for an extraordinary meeting of the Council’s Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee to get to the bottom of what is going on and to seek reassurances for local families affected by the decision.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Doxford Park and Vice-Chair of the Council’s Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee Paul Gibson said:

“Sunderland Lib Dems are dismayed that this decision is undoubtedly going to lead to a lengthy delay in getting a new respite service to replace Grace House up and running. In the meantime children and parents under great stress will be the ones who suffer.

“There needs to be a full and detailed explanation as to what has gone wrong to the Children's Scrutiny Committee and to all councillors and affected families. The time has come for full and honest disclosure to clear the air. This would benefit both care users and the Council itself.

“We will continue to urge Sunderland Council bosses to get a new facility up and running as quickly as possible so young people can benefit from short breaks again.”