On 1st August 2016 Conwy County Borough Council withdrew funding of services previously provided by North Wales Deaf Association.
Conwy is the only North Wales local authority to cut this service. Consequently, the deaf community has set up a Campaigns Committee Team to address the concerns of deaf people living in the county of Conwy.
On 21/12/16 Ms Rosemary Thompson and Fiona along with Janet Finch-Saunders AM and Mark Isherwood AM, presented a petition to Conwy Council. This was accepted by Cllr Joan Vaughan and Cllr Sara Allardice.
Janet Finch-Saunders commented that:
‘I am deeply shocked by the fact that Conwy have cut funding for the North Wales Deaf Association as the whole deaf community here in the county have been left with inadequate services’.
‘Through liaising with Ms Sarah Matthews, Chief Executive of the North Wales Deaf Association, I understand that the organisation provided services for 20 years, including communication support for deaf people through qualified British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters/ lipspeakers/ notetakers; vital support via translation of written correspondence and assistance with making telephone calls; assistive equipment and training of new and adapted skills do to enable people living with hearing loss to live full and independent lives; and the Conwy Family Group: which I understand to have given all a feeling of togetherness in their experiences and also provided Deaf children with positive Deaf role models’.
‘Whilst the Council have apparently provided an alternative service through the Conwy Access Team, it is clear that this is not fit for purpose, and should not be regarded as an “alternative”. For example, I understand that there is no access to an interpreter’.
‘All of this could have been avoided if the Council had given consideration to equality and Welsh Government legislation. Indeed, Local Authorities are supposed to design and deliver services with people and communities. This clearly did not happen here!’
‘Undoubtedly, it seems that the Council are making careless cuts as a consequence of a social services crisis. The magnitude of the situation was highlighted by Cllr Joan Vaughan’s comment that Social Services has already overspent by £4 million’.
‘It follows that I was proud to be supporting Rosemary Thompson and Fiona with the submission of their petition to reinstate services from North Wales Deaf Association. Testament to the necessity of this is the fact that around 600 people from the County’s deaf community have signed’.
‘I am pleased that Cllr Vaughan and Cllr Allardice accepted the petition, and look forward to cooperating with them as the matter is brought to the Council’s attention for, hopefully, a positive resolution’.
(Photo: (L-R) Janet Finch-Saunders AM, Cllr Vaughan, Cllr Allardice, Rosemary Thompson, Fiona, Mrak Isherwood AM)