The fight to save a disabled children’s centre heated up last night as the final meeting before a decision is made took place.

The parents who rely on Nascot Lawn Respite Centre to look after their children with high medical need for several days and/or nights each month to give them a break from being full-time carers.

Funding from Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group (HVCCG) is set to be taken away due to a concentration of funding being spent for medical issues as NHS England have instructed them to find £45 million in savings.

The centre was due to be closed on January 31, but HVCCG suspended their decision ahead of a judicial review that was due to take place at the High Court on October 3.

Since then, the HVCCG have been holding public meetings to listen to parents concerns before making a decision at a financial meeting on November 2, as they state they are not legally obliged to hold a public consultation.

Chief Executive of HVCCG has publicly stated that she will still advise that funding should be cut to the centre, and that other provisions are made to cater to the children’s needs.

The other options being considered are a service part-funded by Hertfordshire County Council, or a service that is funded by a third-party, for which proposals can be submitted by October 23.

Chief Executive of Hertfordshire County Council attended the meeting last night and agreed that the council would make a decision on what funding it could provide by Monday, October 23.

The HVCCG states that while they will provide money for children with continuing health-care needs (which is either five or six of the 44 children who receive care at Nascot Lawn), which will be around £100,000.

The service currently costs £600,000 to run, and HVCCG believes that the majority of this cost should be covered by Hertfordshire County Council as social services are responsible for providing respite.