'We'll take centre battle to court'

By cwinyard

Families who have relatives with severe learning difficulties have said they may take their fight to the European Court of Human Rights if a Perry Barr day care is closed.

Determined carers and members of the community have made the pledge amid fears that Aldridge Road Day Care Centre could be shut as Birmingham City Council reviews the current provision of day care places across the city for people with learning difficulties.

This week the local authority again stressed that consultation is still ongoing and said final decisions on the future of individual day care centres can only be made by the authority's cabinet after full consultation has taken place.

But members of the Aldridge Road Day Care Centre Carers Forum said they still fear for the future of Aldridge Road Day Care Centre and have pledged to fight any moves leading to its closure.

Last week Norman Ball, whose disabled son Craig regularly uses the centre, told the Observer that the closure of Aldridge Road Day Care Centre would have a devastating impact on Craig's life.

He said: "Craig needs 24-hour care and the centre gives us the chance to take a break and recharge the batteries.

"We have been going up Aldridge Road Day Care Centre for years and it is like a second home to us.

"Craig is very happy when he goes to the centre – he has got many friends there and does stimulating activities."

Mr Ball's views are echoed by Vicky Seager, secretary of the Aldridge Road Day Care Centre Carers Forum, who this week said she too was determined to see the centre stay open.

Mrs Seager said: "I am very concerned about the situation. My sister Diane Wood has cerebral palsy and severe learning difficulties and has been going to Aldridge Road Day Care Centre for 40 years.

"Diane cannot cope with change and if the centre is closed she would not want to go anywhere else and would probably just stay at home.

"She lives with my mother who is 83 and I also help to look after my sister. If the centre closed it would be a terrible strain on all of us.

"My sister has got a group of friends at the centre who she has known for years. I would get involved in anything to save this service."

Former Kingstanding councillor Hugh McCallion, who is an adviser to the forum, and Kingstanding councillor Cath Grundy have said they will fight tooth and nail for the centre.

Cllr Grundy said: "My biggest concern would be the impact closure could have on centre clients and carers, many of whom are elderly.

"It is about individual human rights and I would support the legal avenue to fight for the centre."

Mr McCallion added: "We have some plans for a major campaign to save the centre, including trying to take it to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

"The centre has done wonders. I have been involved with Aldridge Road Day Care Centre for many years and have a close relationship with the centre.

"If the centre was closed it would be incredibly unfair. If the decision is taken to shut the centre I would regard it as taking away the basic human rights of users and carers."

Responding, a spokesman for Birmingham City Council insisted the matter was out to consultation and that there was a high level of under-usage of day care centres for people with learning disabilities throughout the city.

He added that there are 926 places but only 604 are used on average.

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