Special needs cuts shock Beacon Exclusive SHOCKED and angry parents of special needs clients, who have been attending Monnow Vale at Monmouth, have been told the unit is no longer available to them. A number of parents contacted The Beacon this week, while dozens of others attended a special meeting at Bridges on Monday, to try to find out what is happening. One mother said "We were called to a meeting two weeks ago, but the decision had already been taken". This was confirmed at the meeting, when parents were told "Service users, parents and carers have commented that they feel the consultations were a token gesture and done to tick boxes. There has been no proper debate". One parent, Ellen Donald, said she believed the service would be closed down by the end of the month. She said it was just two weeks ago that she and her husband were called to the meeting with carers. "We were told it was happening. They said they had interviewed our son, Sandy (34), who has cerebral palsy, and told him what was beingh planned. Amazingly, although he would not have understood what they were telling him, they said he had agreed to the changes". Mrs Donald added "This is a tremendous blow to Monmouth. We were told Monnow Vale was never intended for disabled people. That is nonsense. Monnow Vale was always intended for social and health care, all under one roof, for everyone in Monmouth". Now, Sandy will have to go to other units, including one in Aberavenny, which involves a round trip of 40 miles. Another parent, Pat Skidmore, said her daughter, Helen, who is aged 29, is confined to a wheelchair, said it was nearly four years ago that a review was carried out into the service. Yet, it was only now the county had agreed to cut the service. "It is nothing more than a cost cutting exercise" she claimed. "But what really concerns everyone is that these changes, which are affecting those most in need, have happened without adequate consultation"
