When Jeremy Corbyn supporting Salford Mayor, Paul Dennett, made the decision to close The Grange last month, there were shouts of 'traitor' and 'shame'. The Grange is Salford's only remaining residential care home for disabled children and, despite promising to 'protect the vulnerable', it didn't apply in this case.*
At the time, Salford UNISON's Ameen Hadi slated the decision... "They should be fighting with us against austerity rather than afflicting cuts on the poorest, especially when they haven't consulted properly and especially when they are going to be in dispute with this union" he said "It's not good enough from a Labour Council and we will use all our resources to fight the decision."
Meanwhile, Rebecca Howarth, mum of Rachel Barton, one of the teenage residents at The Grange, insisted that the fight was not over. Now, the family has instructed specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell, to take up their fight to save the facility.
Solicitors have now written to Salford City Council urging it to overturn its decision to close The Grange or potentially face a Judicial Review in the High Court.
"The Grange provides a vital lifeline for the children and their parents" says Mathieu Culverhouse, a specialist lawyer for Irwin Mitchell "The upheaval of forcing the children to move to a new home suitable to treat their complex needs will have a massive impact on their lives. The parents have asked the Council not to disrupt their children's care arrangements.
"We argue that the Council failed to carry out a proper public consultation into the proposals, has not conducted a full assessment of how children will be affected and has failed to identify appropriate homes, within or outside Salford, where children could be sent" he adds "We have now written to the Council urging it to reconsider its decision or potentially face a Judicial Review into the decision in the High Court."
Rebecca, from Swinton, who has led the Save The Grange campaign, adds: "The staff at The Grange have been fantastic with Rachel, providing the best possible care. Rachel is extremely happy there and is doing really well.
"If The Grange closed she would have to move out of Salford, move school and be away from her family" she explains "This would be devastating for her and all her family. The move would really set her back.
"No figure should be put on providing the best possible care for a severely disabled child and their happiness and development" she insists "We are not taking the Council's decision lying down. I implore the Council to change its mind, but if it doesn't I'm determined to fight until the end."
* For a full background on the campaign to Save The Grange see previous Salford Star articles...
Shouts of 'Traitor' as Salford Labour Mayor Shuts Disabled Children's Home – click here
Salford Mayor to Decide Whether Disabled Kids Kicked Out of City – click here
UNISON Accuses Salford Council of Lying Over The Grange – click here
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