Council consults over adult day centres sell-off

A local authority has agreed to a public consultation on plans that could see the closure of three of its adult day centres.

Buckinghamshire Council hopes that selling Hillcrest in Wycombe, Seeleys House in Beaconsfield and a site in Burnham could save between two and six million pounds.

Buckingham Day Opportunities Centre would also be repurposed for provision for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Conservative-run council said it would provide the services lost at those four sites at its other three remaining day centres in Aylesbury, Chesham and Spring Valley in High Wycombe.

Sandra Meller’s 29-year-old son, who has profound disabilities, has attended both Seeleys House and respite since leaving school and said they were "extremely concerned".

“Our son is safe and well looked after in both places and receives physiotherapy and stimulation at the day centre in particular," she said.

"We are able as a couple to enjoy our days and evenings out without worry as our son is with people who know him well at both places.

“As a family we need what we currently have – safe places for our son with people we can trust to look after him in all aspects.”

The council said these closures were necessary because of a 61% drop in attendance since 2020, which meant it has spent £3.4m in 2023-24 on provision for day care and overnight respite for 128 adults, compared to 330 service-users four years ago.

Overall the authority said it wanted to save £14.4m from its adult social care budget by April 2026, including £700,000 from the short breaks service which offers activities and life skills sessions at day centres.

A cabinet meeting was told that selling the three day centres could raise £2.14m- £6.77m if the council’s "preferred plan" was taken forward.

Leaders of the unitary authority stressed the proposals were only plans at this stage and agreed to consult with members of the public and families of users, while MPs in the county had already been informed.

However, some families have questioned the council’s claims that the centres are "underused", telling the Local Democracy Reporting Service the authority prevented users from returning to the sites after the Covid-19 pandemic, before effectively saying "we need to close some centres because usage is low".

Angela Macpherson, the council's cabinet member for health and wellbeing, confirmed a consultation would last for 12 weeks instead of eight due to the "importance and sensitivities" of the plans.

"Nothing is a done deal," she said.

"There is a preferred option about repurposing and rationalising our day centres.

"There are challenges... some are underused and in poor condition."

A consultation will run until the new year, with a final decision expected next summer.

If approved the plans would be implemented in 2026.

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