Newport West AM Rosemary Butler has welcomed a decision by Monmouthshire Local Health Board to join health boards from Newport and Torfaen in a joint funding programme for the South Gwent Childxren's Centre in High Cross.

The health boards will share responsibility for the running costs.It means that the future of the centre, which caters for disabled children, now seems secure, although more funding will be needed from grants, sponsors and the Welsh Assembly.

Rosemary Butler, who has been involved with the Sparkle Appeal which raises money for the project, says:

"This is wonderful news.It's a very exciting project and it would have been terrible if it hadn't gone ahead because of a lack of funding.Disabled children in South Gwent will now benefit greatly by being able to get all their treatment in one centre."

Tuesday June 12