Day centre decision not expected until late 2026

Further delays now inevitable for those concerned about the future of the day centres

Hello and welcome to The Lancashire Lead.

Any decision on the future of at-risk day centres in Lancashire will not be made until the back end of the year - despite repeated warnings about the impact of uncertainty.

Reform UK, either in response to ‘scaremongering’ or campaigning depending on your political persuasion, confirmed earlier this year that five full-time care homes would not close as part of its care review.

But while that decision was welcomed, it left the future of five day centres at risk and there have been numerous calls for clarity since then.

That clarity is now not expected to come until at least the Autumn. We unpick why in today’s edition.

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Lancashire briefing

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Day centre decision not expected until late 2026

Protests in Preston in January. Credit: The Lancashire Lead

By Luke Beardsworth

Those concerned about the future of five day centres in Lancashire will now not receive an update until after the local elections.

People living in Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Chorley, Hyndburn, Pendle and West Lancashire will all go to the polls on 7 May after a protracted row over whether they should be scrapped to allow for focus on local government reorganisation.

Five Lancashire County Council-run day centres are under review for potential closure or reprovision. They were placed at risk alongside five full-time care homes but Reform UK, who lead Lancashire County Council, announced in January that they would not. They said this decision was made to prevent ‘speculation’ but came after high-profile demonstrations in Preston.

The day centres potentially at risk are Byron View in Colne, The Derby Centre in Ormskirk, Milbanke Day Centre in Kirkham, Teal Close in Thornton Cleveleys and Vale View in Lancaster.

It was initially expected that conversation about their future would begin in April, but it is understood that timescale has now been pushed back as a result of the local elections.

Before local elections, authorities enter a pre-election period sometimes known as purdah. This essentially means that local government will not make any announcements about any new or controversial initiatives which could be advantageous to any candidates in an election.

The future of the day centres is a Lancashire County Council issue and the elections in May are for district and borough councils. But the early pre-election sparring on social media acknowledges that local politicians and candidates are not shy about campaigning around issues outside of the authority for which they are standing for election - most notably potholes.

It is a call for non-elected officers at Lancashire County Council as to whether an issue would have an impact on elections. Given the strength of feeling around the future of the day centres, even Reform UK’s opposition concede postponing talks is likely a fair decision. If they were saved, it would likely prove advantageous to Reform UK candidates. If they were expected to close, it would be advantageous for their opposition.

The issue has been highly contentious ever since the review was launched by Lancashire County Council. Of particular note was that a timeframe was set out that included the closure of the care homes. Reform UK has accused the opposition of ‘scaremongering’ around the issue despite Cllr Graham Dalton, its cabinet member for adult social care, telling the BBC that closure was a possibility.