Consultation into new £2m day care facilities approved

Rotherham Council’s cabinet today (December 20) agree to launch a 90-day consultation on what new facilities should replace the existing two premises that the REACH day service currently occupies.

The existing complex needs day services offer for people with a learning disability and autism is currently provided from the Elliott Centre in Rotherham Town Centre and Maple Avenue in Maltby.

A report to cabinet states that the council’s lease at the Elliott Centre is “high risk”, as the site is currently being redeveloped, which risks the centre “becoming a building site”.

Some buildings are also “derelict and subject to vandalism”.

The Maple Avenue building is an old children’s home that does not meet modern accessibility standards, as it has no lifts, narrow corridors, and “direct access issues”.

The council has already committed £2.1m in capital funding for the new facilities, and will ask service users, their families and carers what they want from a new service, and where a new building for the service should be located.

Final proposals for a new building will be presented to the cabinet in September 2022.

Councillor David Roche, cabinet member for adult social care and public health told today’s cabinet meeting: “This will be followed by a further cabinet report in September to decide on options on the ways forward.

“The consultation period is to allow a range of users, families, and others who use the service who might use it in future to be consulted.

“We will ask what exactly people want from a new service? What should it look like and feel like? Where should it be?

“There’s hope that the consultation paper in January will also include artistic impressions of what the building might look like.”

Coun Roche added that £2.1 million has been set aside for the new buildings, which will “most likely” be on two sites.