County councillor blasts Town Council as charity faces collapse
Welshpool Haven filled the much-needed void left by the closure of Welshpool’s Day Care services at the Ann Holloway Centre. The service was previously run by Welshpool Town Council, who also own the building, but they ended it due to spiralling costs.
A group of carers, led by Laura Hares, came together under the Welshpool Haven umbrella to relaunch the services on a Friday and now has up to 60 service users attending each week.
But the Town Council has continued to delay providing the organisation with an essential lease to use the building despite being warned that without one the charity would fold.
Now Cllr Graham Breeze, who represents the Powys County Council Llanerchydol Ward where the Ann Holloway Centre is based, has called on the Town Council to sign the lease before it is too late.
“The Town Council continues to say the lease, which was agreed at a meeting of the full council, is in the hands of solicitors,” said Cllr Breeze.
“The council has twice received presentations from Laura Hares outlining the urgency of the situation – in May and October – but still nothing is forthcoming.
“Without the lease the Welshpool Haven organisers are unable to apply for the essential grants to keep this invaluable service going and they will be forced to close the doors.
“If that happens Welshpool Town Councillors will have turned their backs on as many as 60 local residents and a group of amazing volunteers who have kept the Haven running for over a year. And that will be on their conscience.
“The Town Council took on the running of the day care service from Powys County Council and received the Ann Holloway Centre as an asset transfer at the cost of just £1 to continue the service. They then closed the centre leaving the area’s elderly with nowhere to go but keeping the building.
“Now they are being presented with an ideal resolution to their cash problems with the charitable organisation offering to rent the building. Yet they have dragged their feet for so long over the lease that the Haven may go out of existence.
“Blaming solicitors for the delay is not the way forward. If there is another reason for going against the wishes and votes of the full council it’s time Ms Hares and the public were told.
“The Haven currently has four paid staff members and around 30 volunteers, has forged close ties with the community and now includes a Wednesday session for adults with disabilities, and also a Friday side project to support carers alongside the main Day Care facility.
“This will all fall apart if the Town Council fails to provide the essential lease and the Welshpool public will want answers.”
Discussions over the Ann Holloway Centre are held behind closed doors at council meetings, with councillors reluctant to discuss financial issues in front of the press and public.
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