GREEN Party councillor Denise Craghill has urged City of York Council to reconsider plans to reduce its mental health support line provision by two thirds.

Council service, 22 The Avenue, provides mental health support for adults, but the authority has said it is no longer needed as a 24-hour service as the NHS runs a crisis line. The current plan is to run the line from 2pm-10pm.

Cllr Craghill told a health scrutiny committee this week: “Service users in mental distress, particularly during the night, need a clear ‘go-to’ place they know will offer the support they need - not a range of possible support services that may or may not answer the phone, where you are likely to talk to a different person each time.”

One user added: “I certainly cannot plan to only need the valuable support they offer during those hours.

“Effective support is much better achieved when I have a personal relationship with the service. Constant explaining is frustrating, time-wasting and re-traumatising.”

Members agreed to discuss the situation at the committee meeting on November 14.