Today UNISON was informed that the new Green Administration in Lambeth – led by Martin Abrhams – took an excellent step to pause the closure of the Central Hill Day Centre.

The Council’s new position is “This announcement includes a pause to all closure activity and any voluntary or compulsory redundancy processes while the Council undertakes a detailed review of the proposal and alternative options.”

Furthermore the Council has agreed ot start referrals to the day centre, a major source of contention during the dispute as referrals had been paused for over 18 months which led to the centre being ‘under utilised’ which was one of the main reasons for closing the centre.

The announcement was made on the Love Lambeth website.

Staff took 4 days of strike action, and were in the middle of a week of strike action when the announcement was made. Joint Branch Secretary Simon Hannah said; “This is a real win for UNISON members fighting for proper public services. I’m so proud of everyone that took action and fought for what is right. Public services don’t have to be destroyed in the name of austerity.“

UNISON’s formal statement is below

UNISON strike action Forces pause on dementia day care closure

UNISON members have secured a victory in the fight to save a vital dementia care service in Lambeth after industrial action forced the council to pause plans to close the adult day care centre on the central hill estate.

The centre, run by Lambeth Council, provides essential support for residents living with dementia and their families. With around 2,000 people currently living with dementia in the borough, a figure expected to rise as the population ages, the proposed closure raised serious concerns about the future of local care provision.

The council’s plans would have resulted in the loss of 10 jobs. Throughout consultations, UNISON repeatedly called on the employer to explore alternative options to protect both the service and staff. However, members felt that these concerns were not being adequately addressed.

UNISON members organised a protest outside Lambeth town hall, sending a clear message that the loss of jobs and vital community services was unacceptable. Members then voted in favour of industrial action and took four days of strike action in support of their campaign.

The action has now delivered a breakthrough. Following the strike, the employer has agreed to pause the closure process and undertake a review of the decision. UNISON will be involved in that review, ensuring that the voices of the members are heard.

As a result of this progress, the remainder of this week’s planned industrial action has been suspended.

UNISON welcomes the pause and the commitment to review the decision.