Support For Disabled Adults To End At Market Harborough Day Centre

Support for adults with learning and physical disabilities is to end at Roman Way Day Centre in Market Harborough.

Leicestershire County Council yesterday approved plans to stop providing the service, as part of cost-saving changes to its ‘Community Life Choices’ service.

The authority will cease its ‘in-house’ provision for people with learning and physical disabilities at eight bases across the county – instead offering alternative provision via the private sector.

Pleas were made by families of people who use the facility in Market Harborough for it to stay open and over 800 people signed a petition in support.

Nicola Brooks helped lead the campaign as her son Josh, 32, has attended Roman Way for the past ten years.

He has severe learning difficulties that means he has the mental age of an 18-month-old.

Nicola told Hfm she is angry at the decision and has not been told what will happen next:

 

The Council says services at Roman Way will not cease until alternative provision has been found and the centre on Roman Way will remain open.

It will look to ‘redeploy’ ten people who work there once the service ends.

The decision was taken following a period of public consultation.

A spokesperson for Leicestershire County Council said: “We are grateful to everybody who took the time to give us their views on our proposed changes to our Community Life Choices service.

“We were pleased to see the value people clearly place in CLC.

“However demand for it has been reducing in recent years.

“That trend sped up during the pandemic and our capacity to deliver in-house services has drastically reduced causing us to consider new ways of trying to maintain the service in the best way for people who use it.

“Throughout this process we have been working closely with affected families and some have already chosen to have their day care provided by the independent sector rather than directly from the council.

“The council will continue to fund day care of people who are eligible for it up to and after it helps them find the best independent provider to meet their specific needs.”