Future of Pembrokeshire day centre hangs in the balance
The future of the Anchorage Day Centre, Pembroke Dock, hangs in the balance with councillors meeting today (Monday) to decide whether it should close its doors for good.
Cabinet members are being recommended to 'close the centre with effect' from November 1. 2024.
The recommendation is in line with Pembrokeshire County Council's undertaking to change care provision for older adults and people with learning difficulties.
Cabinet members are being given three options; they can either maintain the status quo, close the Anchorage Centre whilst establishing social enterprise models in Crymych's Bro Preseli and Narberth's Lee Davies Centre with effect from April 1, 2025, or close the Anchorage with a social enterprise centre in Bro Preseli, and ending the service level agreement with the Lee Davies Centre on March 31 of next year.
The Anchorage Day Centre has been described as 'a safe and happy place' for adults with learning difficulties and additional needs for decades. In recent years it has expanded to support elderly dementia sufferers.
In July councillors received a petition created by Peter Welsh, calling for the council to keep the centre open. Mr Welsh claimed there had been no real consultation on the proposals and he launched an impassioned plea for the centre to remain open.
"They are a family, a happy group of individuals that enjoy being together in safety at The Anchorage," he said.
"We may lose the battle today, but I hope not. These people need your support."
Meanwhile Pembrokeshire County Council chief executive Will Bramble has reinforced the pressures that the county's social services department is currently facing, stating that the 12.5 per cent council tax increase has failed to meet the demands of that department alone.
"The only reason we were able to have a balanced budget was by cutting services in order to have a balanced budget," he said.
Future of Pembrokeshire day centre hangs in the balance
The future of the Anchorage Day Centre, Pembroke Dock, hangs in the balance with councillors meeting today (Monday) to decide whether it should close its doors for good.
Cabinet members are being recommended to 'close the centre with effect' from November 1. 2024.
The recommendation is in line with Pembrokeshire County Council's undertaking to change care provision for older adults and people with learning difficulties.
Cabinet members are being given three options; they can either maintain the status quo, close the Anchorage Centre whilst establishing social enterprise models in Crymych's Bro Preseli and Narberth's Lee Davies Centre with effect from April 1, 2025, or close the Anchorage with a social enterprise centre in Bro Preseli, and ending the service level agreement with the Lee Davies Centre on March 31 of next year.
The Anchorage Day Centre has been described as 'a safe and happy place' for adults with learning difficulties and additional needs for decades. In recent years it has expanded to support elderly dementia sufferers.
In July councillors received a petition created by Peter Welsh, calling for the council to keep the centre open. Mr Welsh claimed there had been no real consultation on the proposals and he launched an impassioned plea for the centre to remain open.
"They are a family, a happy group of individuals that enjoy being together in safety at The Anchorage," he said.
"We may lose the battle today, but I hope not. These people need your support."
Meanwhile Pembrokeshire County Council chief executive Will Bramble has reinforced the pressures that the county's social services department is currently facing, stating that the 12.5 per cent council tax increase has failed to meet the demands of that department alone.
"The only reason we were able to have a balanced budget was by cutting services in order to have a balanced budget," he said.