Plans to sort Haltwhistle care gap threatened by day centre indecision

Sep 26 2009 by David Black, The Journal

PLANS to plug a looming gap in provision for elderly people in a rural Northumberland town are under threat because of indecision over the future of seven day care centres.

Last week Liberal Democrat county council leaders gave a firm commitment to replacing the Greenholme residential home and day centre building in Haltwhistle with a £3.7m extra care housing scheme.

The council says it has £1.5m of Department of Health funding available for the Tynedale area, some of which could be used to pay for the proposed 35-flat complex. The scheme would allow over-55s to live independently in their own homes and provide extra community facilities.

But now a senior county councillor has claimed a delay in deciding the future of seven council-run day centres is jeopardising the project.

Last week Conservative and Labour opposition councillors forced a deferral of a final verdict on whether to close the centres until November.

Yesterday Simon Reed, Lib Dem executive member for adult care and health, said this meant people in Haltwhistle would see a “significant delay” in implementing the scheme.

He said: “Following the shenanigans at full council, I am being advised by senior officers that it will not be possible to progress this until much later in the year – and only subsequent to a decision on day care – due to the uncertainty around budgets that indecision is creating.

“Conservative councillors in particular, who claimed to be minded to support the modernisation of day care and replacement facilities at Greenholme, must now explain why they chose to back Labour’s delaying tactics.”

Last night Tory group leader Peter Jackson branded Coun Reed’s comments as “absolute rubbish” and said there was no reason why the extra care scheme should fail or be delayed.

He said: “We have had advice from council officers that the Haltwhistle scheme will go ahead, and it has had our full support all along. The Lib Dem administration has had a year and a half to get on with this scheme, and they are only doing it now under pressure from ourselves and local residents.”

The decision on the seven day centres was postponed until November 4.