Campaigners win a reprieve for centre
APUBLIC campaign has given a ‘vital’ mental health centre a reprieve.
The Sir Joseph Whitworth Centre in central Stockport will now remain open until December after campaigners presented a petition with more than 2,000 signatures – but its future remains uncertain after that.
The centre runs counselling services, social groups and activities for people with mental health problems and carers, and was due to shut at the end of July.
The council sub-lets the centre on Chestergate from the NHS, but decided it would be too expensive to take over the lease when health service bosses exercised their right to break from it early.
Sandy Broadhurst, from Stockport Against Mental Health Cuts, said: “We have a reprieve until the end of the year. It looks like a massive swell of public opinion has made the council think again.
“It gives us confidence that the centre can be saved long-term. It is so important and I think this decision is an acknowledgement of that.
“Everyone I spoke to was horrified at what was happening but in all credit the council has listened to that strength of feeling.”
Members of the group had held a public meeting at the town hall to rally support.
And they have been out in Warren Street getting people to sign their petition and spreading the message.
Some groups had already moved out of the centre but having received the news are returning.
The battle to save the centre comes against a backdrop of cuts to the mental health budget in Stockport.
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust must cut £8m annually for the next five years but has pledged to do so in a way that ensures services are ‘safe, high quality and meet people’s needs’.
A council spokesman said that it was giving ‘medium term’ support any groups affected by the potential closure.
He added: “NHS Property Services exercised its right to break from this lease early and gave the opportunity to the council to take it over.
“We explored ways of supporting the existing groups to look at taking over the management of the building, however, this proved to be prohibitive due to costs and commitment to a long lease.
“We are actively providing medium term support to help groups that are keen to move into alternative premises, with the aim of developing a self-sustaining community meeting place.”