Call for answers over Sandy Bear bereavement service 'confusion'

Cllr Tom Tudor has emailed Pembrokeshire County Council's chief executive Ian Westley, asking for clarification on whether the service is to close, following an announcement by Hywel Dda health board on Wednesday.

"There is much confusion regarding the Sandy Bear service, one minute we read in the press that the service is being withdrawn and then today at the Children’s and Family Overview and Scrutiny Committee the message came across that the service was not under threat," he writes.

"Please could you provide all the county councillors with an update on where the future lies for this essential and important service."

Cllr Tudor's emails follow a scrutiny committee meeting yesterday, in which Milford Haven councillor Guy Woodham raised the issue with Cllr Sue Perkins, Cabinet Member for Safeguarding and Children's Services.

Cllr Woodham said he was suprises to hear in the press that funding for the "important" servce was at risk.

Cllr Perkins responded by saying no decision had been taken by the council, and that she would be fighting to ensure support would still be available to children and young people, even if this had to be in a different form to Sandy Bear.

On Wednesday, the health board said the service would end in June.

More in Wednesday's Western Telegraph.