Harborne day centre closure: we won't give up fighting as council cuts are hurting the most vulnerable

There was a furious reaction last year when cabinet members at crisis-hit Birmingham City Council agreed to close four adult social care day centres, including Harborne.

The centres provide support and opportunities to make friends and gain new skills for those with learning and physical disabilities, autism and dementia.

However, the Labour-run council is desperately battling to balance it books amid a black hole in its finances and says it needs to save on costs when it comes to day centres.

But residents and family members have refused to back down and continue to call on the council keep the centre in Harborne open.

Ahead of a critical council budget meeting next week, protesters gathered in Harborne on Wednesday, February 26, to make their voices heard.

There were cries of ‘save the day centres’ as placards were waved, with one reading: “Why should the most vulnerable citizens in our city pay the harshest price?”

Another said: “Birmingham City Council are choosing land over lives.”

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James Cross, who has a family member who uses Harborne, said they would not give up fighting for “those without a voice”.

Coun Martin Brooks, who recently quit Birmingham Labour to become an independent, added: “The cuts are damaging the lives of our most vulnerable citizens and dedicated carers.”

The situation at Harborne Day Centre prompted a response from high-profile Birmingham politicians, who met Mr Cross towards the end of January.

Labour MPs Al Carns (Selly Oak), Preet Gill (Edgbaston) and Laurence Turner (Northfield) attended the meeting at the day centre, as did the council’s cabinet member for transformation Rob Pocock.

Afterwards, Ms Gill said the meeting was “constructive” and described Harborne Day Centre as a lifeline for carers and those who relied on its services.

“We had a very constructive discussion about future options for the site,” Coun Pocock said at the time.

“My thanks to the MPs and campaigners who took part and engaged over these possibilities. We can take this further.”

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Services at the closing centres are set to move to the five remaining day centres in Birmingham, which the council said could take place in March this year.

Coun Pocock said last year that that the authority needs to save on costs and that the remaining centres “need to be fully utilised”.

“Citizens using our centres have said they want to have a wider variety of activities outside the day centres and this is what we are also developing, as part of a more modern 21st century service,” he said.

He said the package as a whole meant anyone wanting to use a council day centre would still be able to and no staff were being made redundant.