THERE were emotional scenes at the town hall tonight after Wirral's Labour administration voted to push on with the planned closure of Girtrell Court respite centre.

The Saughall Massie home will shut in November, with services transfered to a new purpose-built, privately-operated facility in Tollemache Road, Birkenhead, run by Sanctuary Housing.

The announcement came last week at the end of a long battle to save the centre.

That fight continued during a heated meeting of Wirral's full council tonight, when campaigners presented a petition of more than 5,000 signatures against the plan.

Opposition councillors also urged Labour leader Phil Davies to re-consider the closure.   

Conservative and Liberal Democrat calls to put the proposal before a people's scrutiny committee were rejected.

Referring to the consultation, Cllr Davies told the meeting: "I believe we have responded to the needs of those using Girtrell Court.

"Of 101 people using Girtrell Court, only 55 wanted a bed-based service. Five wanted a shared community.

"We have responded to the questionnaire by using the money to provide different options.

"I am confident that, by the end of November, Tollemache Road will ready.

"I visited the site today and it will be fantastic." 

Cries of shame followed the decision to close.

Criticising the councillors who voted to carry on with the closure, one member of the gallery shouted: "It's sheep following the wolf."

Outside the council chamber, a member of the public said: "How can two people be allowed to decide our fate behind closed doors? It's not right."

Leading the campaign to save Girtrell Court was Bernard Halley, whose son attends the centre.

Addressing councillors during tonight's debate, he urged them to "put aside political affiiliations" when considering the centre's future, adding: "I don't want to be here, I do not relish being regarded as a troublemaker, but this is an area of principle that has to be followed through."

He said afterwards: "I'm disappointed the council are hiding behind the same lines they have trotted out for the last nine months; that the aim of the closure is all about providing greater choice.

"I've done a survey of 60 people, not one of them has expressed a desire for Girtrell Court to close.

"As I said in my speech, it is not that we have no information but rather that there is an incomplete package on offer with many details missing necessary of us or the council to evaluate whether the new offering is "equal to or better""

Addressing the meeting was Cllr Chris Jones, cabinet member for adult social care, who announced the closure news last week.

She said the new site would offer better facilities than those at Girtrell Court and that the consultation results showed people wanted more choice.

She said: "I'm genuinely sorry for the upset caused to service users at Girtrell Court.

"People are telling us something different than in the past. People are saying they want choice."

After the debate, ward councillor Chris Blakeley told the Globe: "Tonight we witnessed again the intransigence of this uncaring Labour group in Wirral.

"Despite the complete opposition to the closure of Girtrell Court and over 7,000 signatures on a petition opposing the closure they simply refuse to listen to the carers who have made it clear that their choice is Girtrell Court.

"To witness parents and carers distraught and in tears is something I never thought I would see in this Council, yet tonight after another devastating blow to them, that's exactly what I and others witnessed."

In a statement last week, director of adult social care Graham Hodkinson said: “People who campaigned to keep Girtrell Court open will have their own views.

“However we have been working with - and continue to be very keen to seek the views of - carers on potential new services before commissioning them as an alternative to Girtrell Court.

“I am very hopeful that once the new service is up and running alongside a range of other respite services that we have commissioned to offer more choice, we can move forward together positively.

“We said that everyone in Wirral who needed respite care would continue to get it - and we said we would increase choice and we have kept our promises.

“We will be delivering a better, more modern and flexible range of services for every person and family who needs respite care in Wirral.”