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Anger at day centre closure

2:29pm Wednesday 1st August 2007

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A DAY centre for people with learning disabilities in Blackburn is set to close - but council chiefs are adamant it is not a cost-cutting move.

They said that attendances at the Mowbray Day Centre, in Park Lee Road, have dropped because regular users are taking part in more activities within the community.

But a disabled campaigner said he was "very, very angry" at the move as many people relied on the centre to get out and meet people.

None of the 15 staff posts will be lost when the centre is shutdown in September, council chiefs said, and two other days centres, in Stansfield Street and Tower View, Darwen, will remain open.

Work will now focus on developing programmes which would see centre users supported in the community, perhaps taking trips out to community centres, Blackburn Museum, Witton Park or Waves.

The closure comes at a time when the adult social services budget is facing a £3.3million shortfall for 2006/07.

People receiving care packages from the department are already being reassessed and asked to pay more for their welfare in future.

Currently the borough council spends £1.8 million per year providing day services for 140 people with learning disabiltiies in Blackburn and Darwen.

Council officials have admitted that the existing day centres are old and not 'fit for purpose', and cannot easily be adapted for 21st century use.

Mowbray Day Centre was selected for closure because it was felt to be the least capable of being upgraded, of the three locations.

The centre closure is part of national moves to give people with learning disabilities more contact and interaction with all sectors of society, rather than being segregated in their own facilities.

Coun David Foster, executive member for adult social services, said: "We are launching a new way of providing help for people with learning disabilities.

"Restriction, segregation and helplessness are being replaced with greater choice, control and independence on the part of people with learning disabilities.

"Users of Mowbray are doing more and more in the community and spending less and less time at the centre.

"To give them those opportunities, we have been moving staff from the centre into the community to support them."

Once the building has been vacated this autumn, consideration will be given to selling off the premises and reinvesting the proceeds back into related social services activities.

But John Edwards, social secretary of Blackburn Disabled Persons Group, said: "It makes me very, very angry. Day care centres are a life line for some disabled people, they are the only opportunity to get out of their homes.

"They rely on the centres to get social interaction.

"I would like to take the council and lock them up for six months and see their reaction. They choose the least line of resistance - those people who don't complain much.

"It is very, very sad."


Your Say YourThis Is Lancashire

Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
2:43pm Wed 1 Aug 07

but council chiefs are adamant it is not a cost-cutting move.

Oh, what else was it, then?

Always the weakest/vulnerable who lose out isn't it?

Or, don't be or get elderly/disabled in BWDC area. Years ago it was the scandalous closure of elderly care homes in the borough up towards Shadsworth.

Now, if that ISN'T cost cutting - oh, they're old won't be with us much longer kind of attitude FFS - and now this, what exactly is IT?

I'd go so far as calling it 'discrimination' wrapped up in spin and red tape making it 'legal'.

Oh, they're disabled with learning difficulties we'll just remove one of the only things matter to them ... like breaking their legs, really.

But it's also a sad indication of how society treats people in these categories. Nothing changes does it?

Unconvinced, Darwen says...
3:02pm Wed 1 Aug 07

A report in the Lancashire Telegraph earlier today showed that the new coalition running the Council couldn't say where the £1.6m to go back to weekly bin collections would come from.

They have to find the money from somewhere. Maybe this is a start?

l homayon-jones, says...
5:12pm Wed 1 Aug 07

Coun David Foster, executive member for adult social services, said: "We are launching a new way of providing help for people with learning disabilities.

"Restriction, segregation and helplessness are being replaced with greater choice, control and independence on the part of people with learning disabilities".

Worthy sentiments Councillor Foster but..how is closing a centre "improving choice"? Unless of course a more suitable venue is planned? By the way have service users and their carers been consulted fully? has consideration been given to current relationships developed by service users and staff and whether these can be sustained? I really do hope this will be a positive move but admit to cynicism when the closure story is linked to social service overspends.

stewart g, blackburn says...
12:28pm Thu 2 Aug 07

WHY NOT FIND SOMEWARE IN THE TOWNHALL THERE MUST BE SOME ROOM IN SUCH A BIG PLACE ???

Anti Soft Target, says...
1:49pm Thu 2 Aug 07

It seems blatent that cost cutting is planned for Blackburn based services and Darwen ones are protected. Why couldn't they lease part of the building to generate revenue, and use the remainder for the numbers that need the sevice. Then as numbers of users increase they can be flexible on unleasing parts of it. Shame on you Cllr Foster, you will be old one day. But then again, previledged people such as you will not need such services will you!! This is a smokescreen before the true picture unfolds on service cuts, thats why the alliance were in such a rush to get out the good news stories to the press like bins, free 30 min taown parking etc without them being properly costed. It's a wicked trick and soft targets such as the elderly will be the first.

Council Tax Payer, Blackburn says...
2:22pm Fri 3 Aug 07

I agree with unconvinced. This explains how they can spend an extra £4million on Darwen Leisure Centre. £1.5 on bins, cheap stunts on half hour free parking. Buy the votes of a few at the cost of the majority. What we need to remember is that they need the two for Darreners on board to keep control, as a result we will all be bankrupt next year when we are faced with a 20% Council Tax increase

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