County Hall

THE CABINET member for Education and Safeguarding, Cllr Sue Perkins, has said that no decision has been made on the Sandy Bear bereavement service.

That was despite the Hywel Dda Health Board making a statement that the service would be coming to an end in June.

Cllr Perkins made the comments at the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, April 14.

She said that the news was a red herring and said there would still be a bereavement service provided in the future.

Cllr Guy Woodham said: “I do not recall at any stage being made aware of £50,000 funding was going to be withdrawn this year.

“Obviously and rightly this is causing a lot of public concern and I would like an explanation as to how we find ourselves reading about it in the paper before we know about it before an Overview and Scrutiny Committee.”

Cllr Sue Perkins said: “The Committee will know that we have looked at lots of different strands of funding, we’ve found ourselves with £170,000 being removed from the Families First grant so we are looking at lots of different things.

“The decision on Sandy Bear has not been made. That is a complete red herring. No decision on Sandy Bears has been made whatsoever, it hasn’t come to Cabinet. In the mix of everything we are looking at, that has been one of them.

“I will not, as a Cabinet member, agree to a reduction in a service unless we can provide it in a different way so I will not agree to have no bereavement counselling, I will not agree to having no other counselling for children and bereavement counselling has to be the highest form of it.

“Until that comes to a decision with Hywel Dda, we can make sure that whatever provision we provide in the future, I don’t know what that is, and I make it a guarantee that we will always have a high level bereavement service within that.”

Cllr Rhys Sinnett said there had been a lot of comment being made on social media that the service would close in June and asked whether options were still being discussed.

Cllr Perkins added: “As far as I am aware, there has been no decision made and I have made it quite clear that I will not agree to any decision made without me being informed and being absolutely confident that that provision and the best provision is, it might not be that they need high-end provision, but as far as I am concerned that is not the case.”

Cllr Jonathan Nutting said: “This council is under fire on every direction. We know that this has been going around in the press and social media and all we have done is sit on our hands. We should have come out and said that no decision has been made.”

The Director for Children and Schools, Kate Evan-Hughes said: “Hywel Dda will make a determination on the service but in the discussions we have had with them it is about making sure that we provide the service that the children and young people need, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t be delivered in the same way.”

Cllr Mike John said he was pleased to hear that they would not be giving the service up unless there was something satisfactory in place to take its place.

Cllr Jonathan Nutting highlighted a statement from the Health Board which reads: “The Sandy Bear Service will end in June 2016 as a commissioned service.

“We continue our work with the county council and other partners to explore new opportunities for bereavement services for children young people and their families.”

Cllr Nutting said that the council did not have their finger on the pulse while Cllr Davies asked for Cllr Perkins to give the committee updates on the future of the service.