Defiant carers whose loved ones have been thrown into turmoil by the closures of four Birmingham day centres were making their last stand today (Monday).
The four centres - Harborne, Beeches GOLDD, Fairway, and Heartlands - close permanently, March 31st, as part of city council budget cuts.
Users will start at one of the remaining five centres from tomorrow following what the council called a careful and sensitive period of transition.
But four families who have fiercely opposed the closures are making their last show of defiance this morning, protesting at the gates of Harborne Day Centre one last time while their loved ones enjoy their last day there.
READ MORE: How row over ‘lifeline’ centre in Birmingham became symbol of council’s financial turmoil
While many of those affected have already transitioned to new locations, they have stayed 'until the bitter end', said Jean Cross, carer to her brother Robert.
"I am very angry that that Harborne Day Centre is closing, where my brother Robert has attended for 44 years. We took on the biggest council in Europe - me, five other pensioners, my son and a few others - and though we did not win we put up a damn good fight.
"For as long as I live I will never ever vote Labour - this council has brought Birmingham to its knees and nearly destroyed us. The most vulnerable people in our community and their carers are paying the price - day centres closed and children's services and youth centres destroyed. It's shameful."
The defiant final gathering due to make a final protest today are Jean, 64, carer of Robert, with support from her son James; Maureen Winkles, 87, carer to her daughter Lisa, 56; Linda Banks, 63, who looks after her brother Gary, 59; and Janet Banks, 84, who looks after her son, Paul, 58, supported by her daughter Lisa.
The closures are part of Birmingham City Council's efforts to address a huge budget shortfall but there has been significant opposition, led by the Cross family. Jean has described the closure of the centre as 'cruel' and 'heartless'.
But the council has said it was a necessary cost cutting measure and that no users who qualified for help would be left without a suitable day centre place, including transport provision.
All four of the families who have led the battle will move together to the Hockley centre that's remaining open. Jean confirmed that the affected families have received an introductory pack explaining every detail of the move, the chance to put any questions to staff, and that users have been able to enjoy taster sessions for several weeks ahead of their final move - all of which she said the families had fought for.
She said she was also delighted that key staff who had been on her brother's care journey were being transferred over to their chosen alternative venue to ensure his needs were met.
Even so, she remains angry that families have had to endure upheaval. "The leaders of the council just don't get it. You can't just pick these people up and move them like this, it's so disruptive.
"We held a leavers' party and it was so emotional."
She thanked local councillor Martin Brooks, who quit the Labour party over the issue and is standing as an Independent in next year's 2026 city council elections. She said the closure fight had also inspired her son James to stand for the council, also on an Independent platform.
Cllr Rob Pocock, Acting Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: “Many councils no longer run in-house day centres, so I'm pleased we have still found the money to keep five going across the city. But we do need to save on costs and the remaining centres do need to be fully utilised." He also assured all families affected that moves would be carefully and sensitively done and users would be supported to transition to the alternative settings.
"The package as a whole means that anyone wanting a council day centre will still be able to receive that. No staff are being made redundant. And there will actually be a wide range of additional options available," he added.
"We do understand that people will have an attachment to the day centre they usually attend but unfortunately our centres have a low attendance rate, with most only around half full."
