Linden Court: Eastbourne disability day service to close
A day centre for people with learning disabilities in Eastbourne will close permanently.
Conservative councillors on East Sussex County Council’s Cabinet have today (February 25) voted to close Linden Court – a service used by 44 local clients up to four days a week.
Despite 85 per cent of consultation respondents disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with the proposals, councillors on the Cabinet unanimously voted to close the service.
Clients and their carers, alongside Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde and Liberal Democrat County Councillors, have been campaigning against the service’s closure since the proposals were announced last autumn, leading protests and speaking out at council meetings.
Eastbourne mum Tania Bilton – whose son, Timothy, has attended Linden Court for 23 years – said she’s been having ‘sleepless nights worrying’ about the closure.
In a Full Council meeting on Tuesday, February 11, Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader David Tutt proposed using funding in reserves to keep the service but the proposal was rejected.
He described today’s decision as ‘the darkest day in East Sussex history’.
Josh Babarinde said: “Having just sat in the public gallery of the cabinet meeting with local families, we are devastated that Conservative-run East Sussex County Council has voted to close Linden Court day centre for people with learning disabilities, forcing them to Bexhill for care - if they can even get there.
“It is appalling that the County Council have ignored sincere testimonies from those whose lives will be profoundly impacted by this decision, including Timothy and his family, who have all relied on Linden Court for 23 years.
“We will be escalating this to the Local Government Ombudsman for review, and will keep fighting especially given that the risks they council have identified have been comely ignored.”