ON September 9 an open day was held at Ebdon Court, 11am-7pm, hosted jointly by Housing 21 and North Somerset Council. There was only one council meeting being held

ON September 9 an open day was held at Ebdon Court, 11am-7pm, hosted jointly by Housing 21 and North Somerset Council. There was only one council meeting being held that day, the executive meeting at Kenn at 2.30pm. Out of the 61 councillors on the council, only three managed to put in an appearance in the last half hour, and no staff, with exception of the workforce at Ebdon Court, attended the meeting, leaving Housing 21 to host the day.The carers sent out 812 invitations to Alzheimer's contacts, distributed posters within the district, and verbally told all the present service users and carers, and arranged for write-ups in the local papers. Well thanks a bunch, North Somerset. Not only have your 61 councillors taken £232,000 from the contingency fund this year to pay for their allowances and pensions, leaving the taxpayers very little in case of emergencies, but you are indifferent to the plight of this very vulnerable group who have fought since January 2005 to keep Ebdon Court open. The carers are the ones who were able to show the architects around, explain the needs of the service users, say why the plans needed adjusting, etc., and still go on caring 24/7 and they do not get allowances to do the job. Where was the leader, Councillor Nigel Ashton? He called for this review in 2005 and was chair of the committee until the majority party changed. Each other chair of the review without exception attended all our meetings. Then Councillor Peddlesden took over the chair when the Conservatives became the majority party. Since then he has attended only one review meeting. Why are Housing 21 and the carers and service users not getting any support from this council? Is it because dementia is a dirty word or embarrassment to them, are they too busy setting up more projects for the drug addicts and alcoholics which are invading our town, for whom they get funding from Central Government, instead of looking after the people who need their help, who did not ask for this illness? They have all drawn the short straw, and let no-one be under any misapprehension, it could be them tomorrow, and many more people are being diagnosed in their 50s.There is to be a further meeting on October 16, 11am-7pm, at Ebdon Court to review the plans and meet housing 21 and dare I say it, North Somerset Council, to look at the revised plans before being submitted to the council for planning permission. Please, all those interested, do come along and meet us. We need all the support we can get to have these plans approved so work can start next spring or summer.Housing 21 have taken this project on board to be built as a flagship dementia centre.PEARL COLLMAN - Wolvershill Road, Banwell