SHELTER IS SAVED FROM THE AXE
Fears eased over the future of crucial unit
The group behind a Hamilton drop-in centre which offers shelter for the homeless are celebrating this week following fears that it faced closure.
Volunteers at the Hamilton Churches Drop-in Centre were concerned their access to a South Lanarkshire Council-owned building was about to be withdrawn as plans to redevelop the surrounding area progress.
The facility is run by volunteers from the town’s churches, and is open every night, offering shelter, food, and laundry and shower facilities to members of the community “facing times of crisis”.
Organisers contacted councillors after receiving a letter from the council indicating that it intended to issue a “formal notice to quit”, however the council insisted there has been a “fundamental misunderstanding”.
A war of words has erupted over the future of a Hamilton drop-in centre.
The Hamilton Churches Drop-in Centre on Beckford Street is run as a collective effort by some of the town’s churches, and is manned by a team of 200 volunteers.
It offers food, laundry services and shower facilities to those who are homeless every night of the year.
Members of South Lanarkshire’s Labour group say they stepped in after centre trustees received a letter indicating that a “notice to quit by March 2018” would be issued from South Lanarkshire Council.
However, the local authority – which owns the building – claims there was never any intention to close it, and insisted there had been a “fundamental misunderstanding”.
South Lanarkshire Labour leader, Councillor Davie Mclachlan, looked into the matter with Councillor Mo Razzaq and Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon, and says the centre will now remain open after their intervention.
Councillor Mclachlan said: “I was horrified when I heard that the drop-in centre was due to close as part of the redevelopment of the UWS campus.
“It would mean the end of a vital service which is a lifeline to many vulnerable and less fortunate individuals who depend on the services provided.
“The service attracts attendees from the wider community and many would suffer had the service been lost. It gives me great comfort knowing that the service will continue uninterrupted 365 days a year.”
Ms Lennon added: “Hamilton Churches Drop-in Centre has been a lifeline for homeless and vulnerable people in our local communities since 1999 and with austerity hammering wages, benefits and frontline public services, it is needed more than ever.
“The council shouldn’t forget its moral duty to the people of South Lanarkshire.”
The Advertiser contacted South Lanarkshire Council regarding the matter, with the local authority insisting there was never any plans to close it.
Daniel Lowe, executive director of Housing and Technical Resources, said: “There appears to have been a fundamental misunderstanding in this matter.
“There has never been any intention to end the lease for the drop-in centre. In fact, the council is committed to helping the organisers continue their good work into the future.
“We have been in discussion with the board for some time because their current building is increasingly unfit for purpose. We will continue to work with them to find the best way forward, either at the current site or any other which they identify as better meeting their needs.”
Centre trustees were “surprised” to hear of the council’s denial.
Rev Malcolm Anderson, of Blantyre Congregational Church, said: “I am surprised to hear that there seems to have been a ‘misunderstanding’, as the correspondence we have received has been crystalclear regarding the proposed notice of intent to terminate our current lease agreement.
“The hardworking trustees have been dealing with the council’s Housing and Technical Resources Department and received a letter dated November 14, the second paragraph of which states the intention of issuing a formal notice to quit.
“The trustees were extremely concerned when South Lanarkshire Council and UWS began to collaborate on the regeneration of the area, and it became clear the axe was about to fall on the centre.
“My first thought on receiving the threat of a formal notice being issued was the impact the closure would have upon the services which we freely provide to the most vulnerable within our community, which has become a lifeline and beacon of hope to many.
“From a council perspective any prospective redevelopment would be much more attractive without the apparent stigma of a dropin centre on its doorstep, with new housing, hotel and restaurant a possibility.
“From the information received and the timely intervention of Councillor Mo Razzaq and Monica Lennon MSP and Councillor Davie Mclachlan, it clearly appears that the council have underestimated the importance of the drop-in centre and have performed a U-turn, which we at the dropin centre are greatly relieved with.
“We have been in our current location for 19 years, and are open 365 days of the year.
“We have 200 volunteers who man the centre faithfully each night, providing a place of refuge and a three-course meal for people in crisis. We hand out clothes, and offer a laundry service and shower facilities.
“It is a bespoke place, and in its present location has faithfully served the community. We are delighted the council have seen the drop-in centre as an asset, and in doing so we will continue to serve the community into the foreseeable future.”
Correspondence we have received has been crystal clear regarding the proposed notice of intent to terminate