A dispute has erupted between Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s Residents’ Association group and opposition Conservative and Labour councillors over a popular Epsom social centre.
The RA voted to move services from the Wells Centre in Spa Drive, Epsom above to the Longmead Centre in Sefton Road during a full council meeting on Tuesday, December 8.
November 18: Young and old people's services facing the axe by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
December 2: Council prevents residents signing petition to save Epsom's Wells Centre
December 8: Residents of isolated Epsom estate fear the worst as fate of beloved social centre is decided tonight
December 10: Epsom and Ewell Borough Council vote to move Wells Centre services despite 750 petition signatures
They have been accused of burdening county councillors with protecting the Wells Centre and not sufficiently consulting residents before the decision.
RA leader Neil Dallen above wrote to residents and the borough’s Conservative county councillors, Karan Persand and Tina Mountain following a discussion with residents on Wednesday, December 9 about the centre’s future.
Coun Dallen said: "It was only after I went home from the meeting that I thought, this is Surrey’s responsibility - Epsom voluntarily runs the centre - so they should spend their money and do it.
"There were roughly 150 people there, and I think most of them now understand that the future is in their hands. They have to set up a management committee for the temporary facility."
He also promised the centre would be available for hire until December 2016.
Play groups and meetings of the over-55s club will continue at the centre while a task force of three RA councillors explore the possibilities of using the site for housing development.
Residents started a petition to save the centre that was ripped down by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
Conservative and Labour councillors were excluded from this task force.
RA Councillor Clive Woodbridge said they had been "betrayed" by opposition councillors after news of the Wells Centre’s potential closure was leaked in Conservative campaign leaflet ahead of the Epsom West by-election.
Coun Dallen also said opponents should have spoken against the potential closure sooner, rather than politicising the issue.
Labour Councillor Kate Chinn below first knew about the review of social services while serving on the scrutiny committee in July.
She said: "We tried to persuade the RA to keep it open when it was up for debate."
At the full council meeting on Tuesday, December 8, Councillor Tina Mountain below lamented the decisions not to defer the vote until further consultation and to exclude opposition councillors from the three-person task force.
She said: "We need social housing, but not at the expense of isolating this entire community.
"The RA made the decision ages ago, got caught out, and are now trying to pass the buck."
Councillor Kate Chinn with Labour party councillors and campaigners protesting the potential closure of the Wells
Coun Chinn said residents were the ones being betrayed by the decision to move adult services from the Wells.
She said: "Neil Dallen needs to stand by the courage of his convictions and either close it and stand by that decision, or keep it open until other options are found."
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