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Autism centre closure is reviewed | Autism centre closure is reviewed |
(about 18 hours later) | |
An inquiry is underway into the decision to close a residential centre for autistic children and young people less than a year after it opened. | An inquiry is underway into the decision to close a residential centre for autistic children and young people less than a year after it opened. |
Education Minister Jane Hutt said the decision to shut Hyfrydle raised concerns about Denbighshire Council. | Education Minister Jane Hutt said the decision to shut Hyfrydle raised concerns about Denbighshire Council. |
Education services were severely criticised last year which led to the ousting of the former council leader. | Education services were severely criticised last year which led to the ousting of the former council leader. |
Denbighshire council said the centre was not viable and could have lost the authority £500,000 a year. | |
Hyfrydle children's home opened in November for pupils attending Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn in Denbigh, after Denbighshire Council said a need for specialist care and education packages for autistic children had been identified. | Hyfrydle children's home opened in November for pupils attending Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn in Denbigh, after Denbighshire Council said a need for specialist care and education packages for autistic children had been identified. |
But councillors voted last week to close the Denbigh-based centre after hearing the home had been affected by competition from other autism centres and only two of six available places had been taken. | But councillors voted last week to close the Denbigh-based centre after hearing the home had been affected by competition from other autism centres and only two of six available places had been taken. |
The National Autistic Society has described the closure as "premature" and "devastating." | The National Autistic Society has described the closure as "premature" and "devastating." |
'Decision-making' | 'Decision-making' |
Susan Fleet learnt of Hyfrydle 's closure a week before her autistic son Elliot, 16, moved in last July. | Susan Fleet learnt of Hyfrydle 's closure a week before her autistic son Elliot, 16, moved in last July. |
She said the home offered "amazing" facilities but was the 18th centre she had visited to find a suitable placement for her son. | She said the home offered "amazing" facilities but was the 18th centre she had visited to find a suitable placement for her son. |
She said: "I can say I don't think it was marketed very well because if I had known about it, it probably would have been at the top of my list. | She said: "I can say I don't think it was marketed very well because if I had known about it, it probably would have been at the top of my list. |
"I thought it was superb. I couldn't believe I'd found this little facility in the heart of Denbighshire." | "I thought it was superb. I couldn't believe I'd found this little facility in the heart of Denbighshire." |
The assembly government does not have the powers to overturn Denbighshire's ruling but will ask why a centre that was opened only last November was closed this July, and what impact it will have on the children who would have gone there. | The assembly government does not have the powers to overturn Denbighshire's ruling but will ask why a centre that was opened only last November was closed this July, and what impact it will have on the children who would have gone there. |
In a written statement, Ms Hutt said the council's decision raised "questions about corporate decision-making within the authority". | In a written statement, Ms Hutt said the council's decision raised "questions about corporate decision-making within the authority". |
She said she expected the review to be completed by the end of the assembly's summer recess when a further statement would be made. | She said she expected the review to be completed by the end of the assembly's summer recess when a further statement would be made. |
Redundancy | Redundancy |
A union also criticised the closure plan after 11 care workers were taken on at the home about a fortnight before councillors voted for the closure. | A union also criticised the closure plan after 11 care workers were taken on at the home about a fortnight before councillors voted for the closure. |
Denbighshire Council said Hyfrydle had been affected by competition from other autism centres in Wales. | |
Council leader Hugh Evans said: "There are only two young people living in Hyfrydle, only one of whom is from Denbighshire. | |
"On this basis, the facility was losing the council £500,000 a year. | |
"Even if the three other young people for whom placements had been identified - again only one of them is from Denbighshire - had taken them up, the annual loss to the county council would still have been £300,000." | |
Mr Evans claimed the council would rightly have been questioned if it had not "acted to stem such a significant financial drain on its resources". | |
"Intensive work is being taken forward both by our own officers, and those of other authorities, to find good alternative placements for the young people affected," he said. | |
"We are also doing our utmost to avoid redundancy for the staff involved." | |
Mr Evans also expressed regret at "the minister's attempt to link a decision on one facility to 'wider and systemic matters' and the council's corporate governance". | |
He pointed to "the many projects" that had been successfully managed and completed. | |
Last year, a damning report by the schools inspectorate, Estyn, led to the resignation of council leader Rhiannon Hughes, and the establishment of an independent education recovery board. | Last year, a damning report by the schools inspectorate, Estyn, led to the resignation of council leader Rhiannon Hughes, and the establishment of an independent education recovery board. |