Congratulations to the Monmouth Free Press for winning a campaign to save a respite care home from closure. It's a fine example of why local newspapers are so important to communities.
The weekly, which sells 7,400 copies, is rightly celebrating its notable success. It launched its campaign to save Budden Crescent respite care home in Caldicot, Gwent, in February after Monmouthshire County Council announced that it would close the facility, which is the only one in the county providing care for adults with disabilities.
The paper exposed the fact that the savings the council expected to make were less than originally forecast. Then Budden Crescent's staff suggested ways of cutting costs too.
Free Press managing editor Nicole Garnon told holdthefrontpage: "In our view the initial decision to close Budden Crescent was flawed. Families were told there would be alternative provision, but not what that would be.
"Also the council made the decision to consult on closing the home before any alternative had been costed. The whole process seemed to us to be totally illogical."
Within days of launching the campaign, it gained support from the families and those in the wider community, with more than 1,000 people signing a petition.
The paper - published by Newsquest - ran regular stories criticising the closure plans.
Sources: Free Press/holdthefrontpage
