NEWPORT council have released the following statement on the Serennu Centre:

Headed: "Serennu – what the council’s budget saving proposal actually means", the statement is here in full:

“Newport City Council’s disabled children’s team (DCT) have been based at Serennu for the past two years.

Presently, DCT social workers only see a small number of the families at the centre by appointment. In practice families mainly prefer to meet or have assessments in their homes or other venues, and not in the Serennu centre.

The cost of renting the team’s administrative space in this building is has increased to £24,000. The council understands that every penny counts to partners such as Serennu, but the rent it pays for this office space is an important but not significant part of the centre’s overall budget.

The council does not charge other Serennu partners such as Aneurin Bevan University Health Board for the use of similar office space in council facilities, and would look for this arrangement to be extended to the council at the centre.

This is therefore a simple proposal to relocate the office based DCT team. It is not about withdrawing from the partnership or stopping the provision of valuable services direct to the centre’s users. The Serennu centre can continue to put users’ needs first without this team in the building.

If this savings proposal is accepted by the council, families can continue to choose the location they find the best and most convenient to meet with social workers, and that could include Serennu and the DCT team will provide their services there.

Discussions are being held with the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to explore all options. One of these could be for the health board to allow the team to use the centre rent free. Health professionals currently use council facilities at no charge.

We must stress the well-being of disabled children and their families is our priority and we will, of course, seriously consider their views on this proposal before we take any final decisions.”

Councillor Debbie Wilcox, cabinet member for education and young people.