PLANS to cut a respite service for disabled children in Rogerstone from seven days a week to six have been scrapped, the Argus has learned.

In its draft budget for the 2018-2019 financial year, Newport City Council proposed cutting the number of days the Oaklands centre in St John's Crescent operates from seven days a week to five, saving £124,000 in the coming financial year. This was later reduced to a cut of just one day a week, cutting the saving by £94,000 to £30,000.

And now it has been revealed the council has scrapped the plan altogether, keeping the service, which provides overnight breaks for children and young people with severe disabilities, open seven days a week.

The council's cabinet member for social services Cllr Paul Cockeram said: "Cabinet agreed that the proposal to reduce the short breaks service offered by Oaklands from seven days to five days should be amended to six days after listening to representations from parents.

"This was subsequently ratified by full council as part of the budget setting process last week."

But he added he had since held another meeting with parents of children and young people who use the service, who had told him just how important it is to them.

"The parents regard the service as a lifeline and I recognise how important respite is to helping them cope with the challenges they face daily," he said.

"As a result, the council has looked at this again and has decided to maintain the seven day service."

Cllr Cockeram, who represents Shaftsbury on the council, added the extra funding to keep the service running would be found through other savings which he said he believed could be made without affecting frontline services.

"I would like to thank the parents who have made their points so clearly and impressively," he said.

"It was striking that their main concern was not for themselves, but for future children and parents who would be accessing the service."

Rogerstone ward member Cllr Chris Evans, who campaigned for the service to be maintained, welcomed the news.

"I’d like to pay tribute to the parents and campaigners, some of whom I’ve tried to advise," he said.

"Whilst I welcome the u-turn I would hope the cabinet member would apologise publicly for all the stress this has caused.

"Budgets ultimately are all about choices and this was a bad choice.

He added: "Oaklands is a great facility I’m proud to have in Rogerstone and I’d like to thank the staff for all they do."