KLFM Off Air - We can’t afford to lose Morley House
It’s been a decision that has left so many people in Lynn in complete and utter shock and it is easy to see why.
When the news broke that Norfolk County Council who cut funding to Morley House in August – families here in the town and around West Norfolk couldn’t believe it.
The vital respite care staff don’t just provide support for those children in need and help them gain some form of independence but they also let parents and carers have a little bit of a break and a chance to relaxl.
One mum told us that it’s extremely frightening because looking after a disabled child can leave lots of parents feeling alone and isolated. Morley House brings them together and shows them they’re not alone in the world.
She called the decision to axe the funding as shocking.
As someone who hears from lots of parents across our county – it is hard to see how those with disabled children will be able to cope and I don’t know where they will be able to get the support offered by the vital service.
We all understand that Norfolk County Council is under pressure to find new ways to save extra money as funding from the government dries up. But there has to be other means to do this without putting vulnerable people in King’s Lynn at risk.
That’s exactly what one dad whose daughter went to Morley House told us. He’s now calling for leaders at the county council to come to the service and see first-hand just how much it means to families in our town. That way he hopes the local authority will change this decision.
It’s why we’re backing a petition calling on Norfolk County Council to do just that. Nearly 1,000 people have signed it so far after a matter of days but we need as many people as possible to put their names to it as well so those in County Hall know we can’t afford to lose Morley House.
We’ve already seen that with enough public support and pressure that the county council is willing to change its mind when it comes to these kinds of decisions.
It was last month when they decided not to cut funding to both gritting services and bus subsidies after what they called an overwhelming response from people in our county.
We now need to make them come to the same decision once more.
There will be tough choices for Norfolk County Council to make as budget pressures grow and I would not want to put myself in their shoes for a second and make these decisions.
But services like Morley House aren’t an added extra for families in King’s Lynn – it makes a huge difference to those in need and it’s something we just can’t afford to lose.
