Consultation launched over day services after ‘unlawful’ closure

A Borders community is being invited to have its say on day support for older people after a service was deemed to have been closed ‘unlawfully’.

Back in September last year Judge Lady Carmichael found that Scottish Borders Council had failed to conduct an equality impact assessment or properly consulted with users when it closed the Teviot Day Service at the Katharine Elliot Centre in Hawick in 2019.

The decision came after campaigner Sean Elliot, whose mother Madge attended the service, had called for a council U-turn.

In her judgement Lady Carmichael ordered the council to reconsider the service’s closure and the local authority has launched a review.

Now a series of drop-in sessions are to be staged to allow people in Teviot and Liddesdale to express their views on the future of day care services in the area.

Ahead of the drop-in sessions an open meeting is to be staged at Hawick Town Hall on Monday, Janauary 23, from noon to 2pm, at which a sandwich lunch will be provided.

The council is working with the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi), with the aim for the sessions to gain feedback from as many interested individuals, organisations and community groups as possible.

Councillor Tom Weatherston, the council’s executive member for Social Work and Community Engagement, said: “As part of this consultation, we are particularly keen to hear the voices of people with lived experience and their carers to get their views of what they feel is needed and would be the most benefit to them and the wider Hawick community.

“I would therefore encourage anyone with an interest in support for older people in Teviot and Liddesdale to join one of these sessions. It is important to get as much feedback as possible so we can make a well-informed decision as to the next steps for this provision.”

Mr Elliot welcomed the public consultation, while arguing “it should have actually happened four years ago”.

He urged interested parties to attend in particular next week’s open meeting, adding: “A consultation needs to take place to ensure that the day service delivers what the people of Hawick and surrounding areas need. What is needed for those attending, for their unpaid carers, how often, what duration, what transport is required, what do people want to see taking place and what do people not want to see taking place? These are just some of the questions for which input is needed.”

NDTi is to provide the council with a report on the outcome of the consultation exercise by the end of February.

The sessions, for which booking is not required, are to be staged as follows:

Wednesday, January 25, 11am to 2pm: Heart of Hawick cafe/bar Thursday, January 26, 10am to noon: Auld Cross Keys, Denholm Tuesday, January 31, 11am to 2pm: Buccleuch Centre, Newcastleton Tuesday, February 7, 1.30pm to 3.30pm, William Laidlaw Memorial Hall, Bonchester Bridge.