A HAWICK councillor has urged Scottish Borders Council to reconsider the closure of the Katherine Elliot Day Care Centre in the town.

In June, councillors from the local authority’s ruling executive committee voted to move the council to a ‘local area coordination model’, where service users are paired with a local area coordinator who can point them in the direction of services such as volunteer-led social centres or dementia cafes.

Appearing before a full meeting of the council on Thursday August 29, Hawick councillor Watson McAteer asked: “I, like many members present today, represent a specific group of mainly elderly vulnerable people who are alarmed, worried and anxious at the prospect of council run day care services being withdrawn to be replaced by local area coordination.

“While there is evidence that some service users do benefit from using self-directed support there is equally a large number, including family careers, who depend on regularly attending our day care centres.

“The threatened closure of the Katherine Elliot Day Care Centre in Hawick has been met with disbelief and abhorrence.

“We have been told that this centre will continue to remain open if new care plans do not meet individual needs.

“Can the executive member give an assurance to those service users in Hawick and their dedicated carers that the Katherine Elliot day care centre will remain open in such circumstances?”

Kelso councillor Tom Weatherston, who acts as the local authority’s executive member for adult social care, responded: “The day centre consultation is predicated on the fact that no changes will happen until we’re confident that users and their carers are assessed and their needs met through alternatives.

“We are currently engaged with people, and their carers, to discuss what care will look like for each individual.

“The implementation plan allows for additional development time in Teviotdale, in addition to this phase, the executive report also make plans additional arrangements for people with more complex needs, or those who have dementia.”

Officers believe that decommissioning the council’s day services will save £208,000 in 2019/20 and deliver a permanent £350,000 saving from 2020/21.

However, a delay in recruiting new staff, who need to be in place before the switch over to a local area coordination model, has reduced the projected saving of £208,000 in 2019/20 to just £50,000.

In a follow up to his question, councillor McAteer said: “I ask this question on behalf of the Teviotdale Day Centre Support Group, which has been created in order to combat the proposed threat.

“I know that you, councillor Weatherston, care a great deal about support and care in the Borders, but the question was very explicit.

“It was to reassure those that occupy the Katherine Elliot Day Care Centre in Hawick. I don’t think you’ve answered that question and I can understand why.

“Can I just ask again, that you and your group reconsider this position?”

To which councillor Weatherston replied: “The position is clear, we will work with clients and relatives to ensure they get the best service available.

“I think it’s important to not get totally obsessed with the building.

“Obviously in this case the building is important and I respect there is a higher number in that building than in other places, but the important thing is that clients get the best service available.

“This has worked in other places in the Borders. I’m quite happy to work with Hawick colleagues to get the best service possible for our clients, but I don’t think the building should be the obsession here.”