D-day for day centre
Rose Harland • Published 14 Jun 2010 08:00
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THE fate of a day centre for the elderly and people with long-term health conditions will be decided tomorrow (Tuesday).
Bracknell Forest Council's Executive is due to vote on whether to permanently close the Downside Resource Centre in Wildridings for older people or those with long-term conditions and if so, what other services could be provided for the 15 people who use it each day.
A document drawn up by council officers following a consultation earlier this year recommends that councillors should close the centre and instead suggest people use other services or start their own user-led group with council support.
But Terry Pearce, the chairman of Bracknell Over 50 Forum and a director of the voluntary group that took over running The Look In café for the over 50s after the council withdrew funding, said: "If the council is expecting volunteers to run yet another thing that's run by the council I think it's putting a huge strain on the voluntary sector."
Cllr Paul Bettison, leader of the Conservative-run council, said: "Labour has bankrupted the country. All councils are getting squeezed, not just BFC." He added regarding Downside: "What we are doing is talking to users of the service, getting their ideas and what they would prefer to do."
The council says that Downside cost £249,750 to run last financial year and it would cost at least £100,000 for repairs to its water system, which has led to it being temporarily closed since November, with users being sent elsewhere. It says making the building fully "fit for purpose" could cost up to £500,000.
It says that Downside has declined in popularity and is only running at 38% capacity and that some of its users could instead go to Sandhurst Day Centre and Woodmancote Day Centre in Crowthorne, both run by voluntary groups with grants from the council. However, some of the centre's 14 staff said that they felt the centre's drop in numbers could be due to a lack of referrals and promotion by the council.
Mr Pearce added: "My view is that if Downside has to close, the council should fund an alternative in Bracknell which is more suitable for people in Bracknell, rather than shipping them out to other day centres in Sandhurst and Crowthorne."
A survey filled in by people who use Downside found that 76% came there primarily for friendship, with some attending for more than 25 years.
This article appeared in Bracknell News 10 Jun 10
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