A respite care service for disabled people could move into a new community centre in Wokingham.
The Westmead day centre in Rances Lane currently provides a place where disabled people can be looked after.
The centre provides a range of services that people with physical disabilities can make use of, such as games and quizzes, seated exercise, arts and crafts, cooking, gardening and woodwork.
The service, run by healthcare provider Optalis, also holds trips to local attractions.
The service could eventually be moved to Matthewsgreen community centre, which is part of the same building as St Cecilia’s Church of England Primary School.
The potential move was discussed at an extraordinary meeting of Wokingham borough council’s health overview and scrutiny committee on Wednesday evening.
Introducing the proposal, Matt Pope, the council’s executive director for children, adults and health, said: “Westmead used to have quite a lot of people attending, but over the years that’s reduced, so we’re only talking about 17 people here in total.
He said: “The building Westmead is coming to an end-of-life, although those people have been in that service for a long time.
We have a new and unused community centre at Matthewsgreen, so the proposal is not only to relocate it but also to reinvigorate and modernise it.”
The move has been justified as maintaining Westmead could cost a minimum of £250,000.
The proposal involves reducing the days the service is available, from five days to Monday to Wednesday.
Members of the committee had the opportunity to scrutinise the proposal.
Councillor Alison Swaddle asked: “Westmead has a large and fully accessible garden that offers individuals the opportunity to relax and enjoy fresh air and do some gardening.
“I know some activities at Westmead, such as kiln pottery and woodwork, won’t be possible. What about gardening? Is that possible at Matthewgreen?
Chris Clark, head of adults and commissioning strategy at the council, replied that raised flower beds will be provided as a starting point, with the opportunity to use other community gardening facilities.
Cllr Mike Smith questioned how school pupils and day care service users would be kept safe in the shared building.
Mr Pope argued the council, Optalis and the school have robust safeguarding policies to protect pupils and disabled adults.
He said: “I don’t see a conflict between the two.”
Advocating for the relocation, Helen Woodland, CEO of Optalis, said: “By supporting people in this service, it allows them to be able to live at home with their families, potentially and out of other longer-term care like residential care for example, so we see this as a real benefit to people.”
Councillors unanimously approved a recommendation for the service to be moved to the centre, and the final decision on the move will be made by the council’s executive committee.
