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Feedback from service users and their carers is playing a key role, in shaping plans to improve residential and day services for people with learning disabilities in Bexley.
The meeting of the Council’s Cabinet, on the 31st January, considered the results of a three-month consultation exercise on a range of options for improving services within the borough. Some of the options received strong support, while others were less well received.
The Cabinet gave the green light to plans to provide new placements for people with learning disabilities within a new residential care home at York Avenue, Sidcup. But it asked for further consideration of the future of the Hainault residential care home, because of concerns expressed by the relatives of some residents.
Work will continue on plans to develop a community building, incorporating a new replacement special care unit on the site of Hoblands House.
Bexley’s services for people with learning disabilities, have been provided by the Council, in partnership with MCCH, since November 2002, when the Council transferred its accommodation and day services to the independent, not-for-profit organisation.
“We are committed to improving facilities for people with learning disabilities, so I am delighted that we are moving forward with the plans for further facilities within the York Avenue scheme,” says Cllr Donna Briant, Council Cabinet member for Social Care & Health. “The scheme will be the most significant of its kind in the borough for many years.”
“We have worked hard to make all the consultations around these important services as open and comprehensive as possible, and it’s clear that we need to do more work before we come to any decision on the future of Hoblands House and the Carlton Centre.”
Students and staff at St Columba’s Catholic Boys’ School are celebrating becoming the latest Performing Arts College in Bexley.
The new specialist status means that the school’s achievements in arts, music and drama have been recognised as outstanding. The school will now receive an extra £100,000 for new capital arts projects, including a new art block, a music technology suite, a recording studio, a dance area, a pottery studio and photography studio.
The school will continue to work together with community partners St Luke’s Catholic Sixth Form College, St Fidelis Catholic Primary School, Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School, Marlborough & Oakwood Secondary Schools, Queen Mary’s Hospital & Bexley Youth Engagement Service on a number of exciting arts projects.
The school will also receive additional funding to employ additional arts staff, and further develop the arts curriculum.
Headteacher Bart Cannon is delighted with the good news: “I’d like to thank all parents, governors and sponsors, who helped us raise the money we needed to make the bid in the first place. This is a unique opportunity for this school to continue to move forward. With our new accommodation and now new designation as a Performing Arts College, the future for this school has never been brighter.”
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