“In a life of caring for somebody with serious needs, everything’s a fight,” says Richard Franklin, a devoted father from Keynsham. This fight has been particularly intense in the campaign to save Newton House, a vital respite care home on the edge of Bath. This month, after a year of determined advocacy, the families relying on Newton House finally won the battle to keep it open.
Newton House is the only facility in Bath and North East Somerset offering short breaks for young people with severe physical disabilities and learning difficulties. For families like the Franklins, the home is a true lifeline. Their son, Ryan Probert, who has an unbalanced translocation of chromosomes and requires intensive care, has been able to stay at Newton House, giving his parents precious time to recharge and experience moments of normality.
Parents like Wendy Lucas also rely on Newton House to provide vital respite. Her daughter Rhiannon spends two days a week there, enabling Wendy to enjoy uninterrupted sleep – an essential support that keeps their lives functioning.
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However, at the end of 2024, these families faced devastating news. Bath and North East Somerset Council and the care provider Dimensions announced the closure of Newton House, citing the service as “unaffordable.” The council later apologized, acknowledging that no alternative provision had been arranged.
The announcement came as a shock to parents like Derek Greenman, whose son Michael, with quadriplegic cerebral palsy and epilepsy, depends on the short break service. For these parents, accustomed to fighting for their children’s rights, it was a call to action. Richard Franklin launched a petition, supported by local councillor Dave Biddleston, who helped escalate the issue to the council. The closure was temporarily halted, but the campaign for Newton House’s future persisted.
On January 13, 2025, families shared their stories at a council scrutiny committee meeting, passionately urging councillors to save the home. Parents became active members of a council working group and consistently attended committee meetings to advocate for the service. Exactly one year later, on January 13, they were invited to a meeting where they were told Newton House’s short break service would be recommissioned for another five to seven years.
The relief was overwhelming. Richard and Julie Franklin were moved to tears. Wendy Lucas described the news as “beyond overjoyed” and “a complete vindication” of their year-long effort, proving that “parent power really does matter.” Derek Greenman echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of being able to plan for the future.
The council’s cabinet member for adult social care, Alison Born, confirmed on January 19 that the service would continue, thanks to new powers under the Procurement Act 2023, as no alternative providers were available locally. She expressed confidence that the contract renewal would proceed smoothly and highlighted the strong collaboration between families and providers.
Vice-chair of the scrutiny panel Liz Hardman credited the carers’ advocacy and publicity for achieving this positive outcome, noting how crucial their involvement was in resolving the issue.
Ms. Born also emphasized that future decisions about service changes would involve those affected from the outset to avoid similar crises. Richard Franklin agreed, reflecting that the situation could have been prevented with better communication but expressed hope that such battles will not need repeating in the future—for current families and those yet to come.
The petition Richard started gathered 2,956 signatures before concluding triumphantly, symbolizing the power of community and determination in safeguarding essential care services like Newton House.