The former Harborne Day Centre, once serving some of Birmingham’s most vulnerable adults, is set to be sold and transformed into a new retail store. This development comes as Birmingham City Council continues its efforts to recover financially by approving a series of property sales after a declaration of effective bankruptcy in September 2023.
The Harborne Day Centre was one of four facilities closed earlier this year in a move that sparked significant public outrage. These adult day centres provided essential support to individuals with learning and physical disabilities, autism, and dementia—offering not only care but also social opportunities and skills development.
Many residents and carers expressed their distress over the closures. Jean Cross, a local resident, described the impact as “immense suffering” for vulnerable individuals like her brother. Despite these closures, services and users have been consolidated into the five remaining centres across Birmingham, leading to heated protests during council meetings.
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According to council documents, the former centre was closed following a review assessing operational costs and usage. Its users were relocated to other nearby facilities, leaving the building vacant. The council’s report indicates that the property will be sold to a national company planning to redevelop the site as a foodstore.
Local ward councillor Jayne Francis expressed cautious optimism about the proposal, emphasizing the importance of job creation and ensuring that the new retail development is fully accessible by public transport.
The council acknowledges that while proceeding with the sale would support its financial recovery plan through a capital premium, it is under no obligation to go forward and would not face reputational damage if it decided not to proceed.
Birmingham City Council’s recent financial struggles are attributed to multiple factors, including historic equal pay disputes, flawed budgeting, poor service management, rising demand, and the unsuccessful rollout of a new IT system. Labour councillors also blame funding cuts under previous Conservative governments.
On the rationale behind closing some day centres, Councillor Rob Pocock, responsible for the council’s transformation program, stated that the decision was driven by the need to cut costs and ensure full use of the remaining facilities. He highlighted plans to expand activities beyond traditional centre-based services, aiming to deliver a more modern and flexible support system for vulnerable adults.
Importantly, Pocock reassured the public that all individuals who require day centre services will continue to have access, and no staff redundancies would result from the closures.