News Walthamstow

Council accused of causing ‘unnecessary suffering’ with plan to close day centre for disabled adults

Waltham Forest’s proposed closure of the Markhouse Centre has been strongly criticised by affected families, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter

Main image credit: Google Streetview

The proposed closure of a Walthamstow centre for disabled adults is “unfair” on the families who rely on it, concerned residents say.

Waltham Forest Council says it wants to move away from a “building-based approach” to one that prioritises people, but campaigners say shutting the Markhouse Centre would “rip friendships apart”.

No decision has yet been made on whether the ageing centre will close, and a public consultation is underway until 18th August.

There are currently 53 people who attend the Markhouse Road facility, which offers group-based activities such as gardening and keeping fit.

Among them is the sister of Waqas Jamal, who lives in Walthamstow.

Waqas told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the proposals were “heartwrenching” and “unfair”.

He said he felt the “carpet was being pulled out from underneath us” and he was worried about how it would affect his sibling, who struggles with mental health issues.

Waqas’ sister, aged 45, has been going to the centre three days a week for 22 years.

He said the staff there were like a “second family” that keeps her feeling “happy, calm and comfortable”.

Despite the council seeking residents’ views, he said he did not feel that enough consideration was being given to how the closure could make people’s lives “harder and more stressful”.

He said: “To [my sister], it’s going to feel like they kicked her out, like they kicked her to the curb and didn’t want her.”

He added: “It’s going to be a financial gain for the council, but for everyone else, it’s going to be a huge loss.”

Louise Mitchell, Waltham Forest’s cabinet member for adults and health, said it was “important” Markhouse attendees still “received the best available provision”.

She said: “We want them to have access to modern, people-focused services that meet their needs wherever they may be.

“The day opportunities at the Markhouse Centre are dependent on the building, which is in a poor condition and as such does not meet our broader ambitions.”

Council leader Grace Williams said it was “important the council focused on people, not buildings” at a cabinet meeting in May.

A Waltham Forest spokesperson added: “We are not immune from the current financial crisis in local government. We must make difficult decisions to manage our budget. The number of people relying on us for adult social care has risen by over 1,000 since 2018/19, up from 2,270 to 3,385 people.”

A Leyton resident who asked to remain anonymous, said the closure would have “deep effects” on everyone involved, including her daughter who attends the centre.

She said the proposals were causing “unnecessary suffering” for parents, siblings, carers and guardians who consider the centre a “lifeline”.

She added: “I don’t know how I’d tell [my daughter] that she won’t be able to go the centre anymore, or see her friends anymore.”

If the Markhouse were to close, the council says attendees would be referred to other day centres close to where they live.

The council’s spokesperson added: “If a decision is made to close the Markhouse Centre, we will carry out individual assessment with each person and alternative support will be identified in line with their needs.”

But the mother said moving to another centre would not be feasible.

She said: “It’s somewhere she likes going, it’s not far, and it’s the only place that caters to her needs.

“We can go and pick her up if she has a bad day. If she was on a bus, and had to travel an hour, but that’s too much.”

She told the LDRS the Markhouse Centre also offered respite for parents and carers, and she often catches up on sleep while her daughter, 22, is away.

She added: “Who would the closure benefit? It would not benefit us.”

Waltham Forest spent £489,000 on “essential works” to the building in 2016, but nothing since.

A report published in June this year revealed £1.26million would now be required to restore the centre to a suitable state.

In response to the consultation, campaigner James O’Rourke launched a counter petition urging the council to reconsider.

He said the centre played a “crucial role” in integrating disabled adults into the community, as well as helping them to develop skills, receive support, and its closure would be a “step backwards” from an inclusive society.

The former Waltham Forest Liberal Democrat councillor wrote: “Closing this day centre would have a devastating impact on the individuals who rely on its services for social interaction, skill development, and emotional well-being. Many of them have complex support needs that cannot be easily met by other services.”

He added: “This is the only service of its kind in the borough. Without this vital support there will be a severe detrimental effect on people with the highest support needs within out community.

“Closing the Markhouse Centre will rip up relationships by sending the attendees to the four corners of Waltham Forest to yet identified services (if they exist), exacerbating isolation and potentially causing trauma.”

After the consultation has finished, a report recommending that the centre either closes or stays open will go before the cabinet.

A final decision will be made in November.


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