Council announces U-turn on care centre closures

Greenfield House in Calcot was one of the sites that could have been shut down

Proposals to close three adult care centres or have them run by alternative providers have been ditched by a council.

West Berkshire Council outlined proposals to potentially shut Greenfield House in Calcot, Hungerford Resource Centre and The Phoenix Centre in Newbury back in February, when it set its budget.

The centres are used by adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and those with dementia and were subject to a "detailed review" that aimed to make potential savings of £469,000.

But the council's portfolio holder for adult social care and public health, Patrick Clark, said it was ditching the proposals.

"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," Clark said.

"We will now maintain operations at the current resource centres to ensure that people receive the best quality of care.

"We know that the period of uncertainty from the initial announcement has been hard work for the people who use the centres, their families and our staff.

"I can only apologise for this. I am sorry."

The potential changes were criticised as "short sighted" by trade union UNISON when they were announced earlier this year.

The authority will now seek to make the savings by looking at how other services are delivered.

Olivia Bailey, Reading West and Mid Berkshire's MP, said: "Many individuals and their families across Reading West and Mid Berkshire rely on Greenfield House for their daily well-being, social interaction and specialist care.

"While I am pleased with this decision, it is shameful that users and their families have had months of uncertainty and worry while, following their initial announcement, the council considered alternative arrangements."