Ludlow day centre for elderly people set for closure as campaigners claim 'our questions weren't answered'

Members of a group set up to keep a Ludlow day centre for elderly people open believe they have been "given the run around” by a council.

The Helena Lane Day Centre in Hamlet Road is set to close, with Shropshire Council's cabinet likely to ratify the recommendation on Wednesday (June 10). While the council has no plans to close the Helena Lane building itself, it is proposing to end the day service for elderly people, which is used by five people three days a week.

The centre currently provides a building-based day service for older people, offering structured activities, social interaction, personal care – including assisted bathing – and respite for unpaid carers.

But the council said the low numbers of people using the facility mean it is recommending closure to save around £151,378 a year.

A report prepared for the cabinet detailed that the service is currently used by five people at an average cost of £332.82 per day they attend.

On Monday (June 8) the council’s finance and improvement overview and scrutiny committee was content that the correct governance and process was carried out.

Natalie McFall, interim director of adult social services, explained that, while demand for adult social care is high, that is not necessarily the case for day services.

"Over time, people have preferred different ways in being supported," she said.

"People like direct payments, they like having personal assistance, assessing different local assets or community resources.

"I've worked in social care for over 20 years - that's more prominent now than once upon a time where people did access building-based support.

"We will continue to monitor any plans should they go forward or be accepted, as we would with any plan within the transformation programme.

"I do want to acknowledge the consultation process - we've tried to make it as broad as possible so it's not just subject to online and people having to complete forms. We've had one-to-one conversations with people, carers, staff and local communities because we know this service is value to those currently accessing it."

Chair of the committee, Councillor Chris Naylor, said: "We as a committee feel there has been appropriate consultation and the case has been fairly made, following policy as agreed with Cabinet."

Councillor Ed Bird added: "This is an extremely difficult and challenging decision. I can understand both sides of the argument."

However, members of the Helena Lane Day Care Alliance believe that no meaningful consultation took place.

"A Freedom of Information request was made to Shropshire Council and this information has still not been received despite the 20-working-day deadline to respond," said Derek Young, whose wife Jill uses the service.

"How can meaningful consultation have been concluded without the affected parties being in receipt of information they requested?

"A petition has been raised with enough signatures to trigger a debate at full council on July 16, so how can closure be considered before the debate has even taken place?

"Our questions were not fully answered although some pertinent questions were also raised by several councillors but these, again, were not fully responded to.

"I suppose it’s what we expected - but you cling on to the hope they’ll treat very vulnerable people with respect and decency, in accordance with the Care Act 2014 and other policies."