Meeting over day centre closures

West Berkshire Council is holding a meeting for care firms today (Friday) to discuss future plans

WEST Berkshire Council is to hold more talks with clients and care organisations ahead of the closure of five day centres across the district.

In November, the council announced Hillcroft House for people with mental health difficulties in Thatcham, Downlands Day Centre for Older People, in Compton, Windmill Court Day Centre for Older People, in Mortimer, Shaw Day Centre for older people, in Newbury, and the Ormonde centre for people with physical disabilities in Newbury were to be axed by this summer.

The ageing population of West Berkshire was blamed for the soaring cost of social care, which prompted the council to completely change the way it dealt with vulnerable people, introducing personal budgets to enable those in need to pay for their own care.

The council is holding a meeting for care firms at the Market Street Council Offices in Newbury on Friday (11), and will give an update to care clients on the changes and an opportunity for talks around future plans.

The meeting follows a similar event which was held in January.

There will be another opportunity for service users and provider organisations to meet on March 2 at Newbury Rugby Football Club, Monk's Lane.

West Berkshire Council's portfolio holder for community care, Joe Mooney (Con, Birch Copse) came in for criticism following the decision to close the centres, as over two hundred protestors descended on the Market Street council offices in Newbury in December to rage at the move.

Mr Mooney said: "I am very pleased that our first event to bring provider organisations and service users together went so well. This is a very good sign for the future of day care services and I am sure the forthcoming events will prove equally successful."