Hertfordshire respite centres to close after council upholds plan

Hertfordshire County Council said the closures could save up to £970,000 a year

Three respite centres for adults with disabilities will shut after the decision to close them was upheld.

Liberal Democrat councillors had asked for a review of Hertfordshire County Council's plans to shut the centres.

But the Conservative-run council's scrutiny committee decided it had "no objection" to the closure.

The three centres - Tewin Road in Hemel Hempstead, Hixberry Lane in St Albans, and Apton Road in Bishop's Stortford - will close in the next six months.

Currently Hertfordshire has eight centres where adults with physical and learning disabilities can stay overnight.

The council's cabinet agreed the closures in February to save up to £970,000 a year after hearing demand had declined.

The closure of the three centres, including Tewin Road in Hemel Hempstead, will reduce the number of overnight places by nearly a third

It will reduce the number of overnight respite places across the county from 48 to 34.

Existing staff are likely to be redeployed across the service.

At a special meeting of the council's overview and scrutiny committee, Liberal Democrat councillors questioned the reasoning for the original decision, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Nigel Quinton said the data was "not as objective as it could have been" and questioned whether figures took account of periods when some beds had not been available.

He also queried the selection of centres for closure when data showed occupancy at Tewin Road and Hixberry Lane was already more than 80%.

Ron Tindall said it was "very short-sighted and potentially dangerous" to close the centres before an alternative scheme was developed.

Conservative member Richard Roberts acknowledged change was unwelcome but said there was spare capacity in the system, and that it was the right decision.