Tories urged to help force rethink on closure of Tangley dementia centre (Twickenham & Richmond Liberal Democrats)

Tories urged to help force rethink on closure of Tangley dementia centre

February 5, 2011 6:10 PM

• [Feb 05] A LIBERAL Democrat councillor has called on backbench Conservatives on the council's Health and Adult Services Scrutiny committee to join her to force an 11^th hour rethink on the closure of Tangley Hall day centre.

The closure of the popular intensive day centre for dementia sufferers was agreed by the Council's Cabinet on Monday 24^th January, despite massive public opposition. The decision will take effect unless 'called-in' by six members of the Council's scrutiny committee by the 9^th February. There are only four opposition Liberal Democrat members of the committee, so at least two backbench Conservatives would be needed to halt the decision.

The scrutiny committee had previously produced a report, with the support of Conservative members, urging the Cabinet to put the decision on hold pending a full review of options. This report was largely ignored by the Cabinet, which was determined to push on with the closure.

Cllr Liz Jaeger, Liberal Democrat social care spokesperson and scrutiny committee member said: "We had cross-party agreement, when we produced our report, that the cabinet should put the Tangley closure on hold pending a proper look at the options. Sadly the Cabinet have pushed on regardless, despite the views of their own back-bench members on the scrutiny committee. I know that scrutiny members from both parties feel ignored by the Cabinet. I am therefore asking back-bench members of both parties to join me in forcing the Cabinet to rethink its decision."