West Berkshire Council has U turned on plans to close adult care resource centres to save money.
West Berkshire Council has reversed its decision to close adult care resource centres in a bid to save money.
Following backlash from users, families, and unions, the council announced at last night’s Executive Committee meeting that it will keep Greenfield House, Hungerford Resource Centre, and The Phoenix Centre open.
Patrick Clark, the portfolio holder for Adult Social Care and Public Health, faced the difficult task of delivering the news, which included an apology for the stress caused to staff and users of the centres.
He stated, “We have now conducted a review of the services and I would like to announce that we are not considering outsourcing of our resource centres. We will now maintain operations at the current resource centres to ensure that people receive the best quality of care.”
The council, which is in a tight financial position, had aimed to cut costs by an estimated £469,000 through these closures, believing alternative providers could deliver services more efficiently. However, Unison labelled the original decision as “short-sighted” and rushed.
The centres support adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and dementia. After the announcement, a petition was presented at the council meeting demanding the centres remain open.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
