PARENTS and carers campaigning against the closure of a Wirral day centre are now seeking legal advice over the council’s controversial decision.

Council bosses announced they were to close Moreton Day Centre earlier this year as part of cost-cutting measures following a public consultation.

The decision sparked outrage from parents whose adult children attend the centre and launched a 20,000-strong petition while also putting together their own business plan for a social enterprise.

Strategic director for families and wellbeing Claire Fish had told the Globe in June that the changes were essential as large “impersonal” centres were a “thing of the past” but that a centre based provision would still be available for those who wanted to stay in Moreton.

Others would be relocated to Heswall and Eastham centres.

And service-users were informed this week on whether they had been selected to stay at Moreton or not.

However campaigner Stephen McGreal, whose daughter Nicola attends the centre, has now been told the new service will not be a replacement and that it will simply be a ‘touch-base’ facility.

And now Stephen, who had previously worked with the council on alternative plans, says he feels “cheated” by the department for adult social services and is in talks with a solicitor.

He said: “We were promised by the council that the new service would just be a scaled down version of what we already have so some people were made up this week when they found out they could still come to the new Moreton facility.

“But I had to break it to them today that it will not be the same as the current situation. The new place will just be a place for the students to turn up to before they go off into the community to do their voluntary work. The social side of it will be taken away from them and they will be like ships in the night just passing on their way in and out.

“Although Nicola is staying in Moreton, she cried and cried when I explained it all to her.”

It is believed the new, smaller centre will be located at a former clinic building in Oakenholt Road and in council documents seen by the Globe, it is made clear that it is a move away from the current system.

Chris Beyga, head of delivery for Wirral’s adult social services department, said: “We have committed to providing a refocussed service in Moreton that is very much part of the local community and enables people to continue with work placements and community activities.

“We have always maintained that the smaller service would not be a replacement for the traditional service at the large Moreton Centre, however, we have taken the opportunity to develop a focussed community hub that will build on local community capacity and assets.

“We will continue to meet with carers in the coming weeks to move the plans forward, and carers, families and people who user services should know they are welcome to bring any concerns they have to the table so that we can discuss them.’