Councillor apologies over day centre oversight
A Powys County Council Cabinet member has apologised for an "oversight" in not telling the town councillors that a lease for the Park Street Day Centre in Newtown had been renewed with the health authority as a vaccine centre.
The town council had previously supported a motion asking for the centre to be reinstated for its original purpose. It was turned into a vaccine centre by Powys Teaching Health Board during Covid and a lease was signed with by the county council.
The council had originally said it would be returned as a day centre in the Summer of last year. But in February this year a new 18 month lease was signed with the health authority without the town council's knowledge.
"It was a major oversight that we didn't tell you and others that the lease was reinstated," said Cllr Cox.
Earlier she explained to the town council how a consultation would begin in Powys next month in to day services for older people, including three sessions in Newtown. She said it was looking at how services could be provided for older people but it wouldn't necessarily include day centres.
Cllr Richard White said: "Explain why we have not got our day centre back in Newtown. We were assured it would be returned in the summer of last year. You reneged on it."
Town councillors said the day centre in Park Street was in a perfect area in the centre of the town near to the health centre and other facilities.
Cllr Cox said the consultation would involve everyone involved in day services, from the users to carers, family, third sector organisations, the town council and others.
She said public consultation meetings would take place on the 17 and 22 November at Newtown Library and Castell y Dail with more details to follow.
Cllr Cox said there were financial implications of running the day centres and there might be other way of providing such services outside them.
"We have to find a way of doing this that costs less," she said.
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