Council confirms its ‘securing alternative providers’ for adult resource centres at Newbury, Hungerford and Calcot – with further updates expected in May

West Berkshire Council has confirmed it is securing alternative providers for its three adult day centres.

It’s been almost a month since an update on three centres at risk of closure in Newbury, Hungerford and Calcot was promised at the council’s budget meeting, where attempts to keep them under council care failed.

And even longer since executive adult social care director Paul Coe visited each centre centres, hoping to reassure service users and their carers.

But the council has now confirmed it is still in the process of securing alternative providers.

By outsourcing the centres – which support elderly, disabled and vulnerable people – it expects to gain nearly half a million pounds in annual budget savings.

A spokesperson told newburytoday: “This involves a formal tender process, which is not quick.

“However, we are having discussions with organisations that currently provide similar services, helping to set out high-level options.”

And it expects to provide further updates by the beginning of May.

It added: “The timing of any updates will depend on various factors, including the specific options the council decides to pursue.

“Service users and carers will be updated when substantive decisions are made. The council expects to have a better picture of the options by the beginning of May and will provide updates then.”

At its budget meeting on February 27, finance portfolio holder Iain Cottingham (Lib Dem, Thatcham Central) said a detailed review of the three centres would be undertaken to ensure any alternative provision delivers the same service under different providers.

But when asked about the progress of this review, the council instead responded: “The council already has a very clear picture of the service offer, the buildings and the needs of the service users.

“This understanding will help ensure that any alternative provision delivers the same service under different providers.”

Newburytoday previously reported on the closure of five adult day centres across the district in 2011.

The aging population was blamed for the soaring cost of social care, which prompted the council to introduce personal budgets to allow those in need to pay for their own care.