A CALL to ensure plans to transform Acton Community Centre are delivered as a single package to prevent the lengthy loss of a community asset have been dashed.
Following a backlash over the decision to turn Acton Community Resource Centre into an adult day services facility to replace the Cunliffe Centre – where 58 social housing units will be built – without consultation, Wrexham County Borough Council has looked again at the proposals and community engagement.
Councillors support the replacement of the Cunliffe Centre – which is no longer fit to offer day service care for vulnerable adults – but were taken by surprise by an announcement earlier this year that services would move to Acton.
That move met stern opposition as local members argued that Acton – a well used community centre – would no longer be open to the community at large.
Since then Wrexham Council officers have been working with councillors to seek solutions and in a Special Meeting of the Safeguarding, Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee it presented a report that recommended a two-phase approach.
Phase one would see the initial plan move forward, with £750,000 invested in adapting the Acton community centre to offer day services.
For phase two – if it clears planning and funding can be secured – an extension would then be built to ensure the community continues to have space on the site for groups and activities.
The report was welcomed by councillors at the meeting but concerns were raised over the two phased approach and the uncertainty over the delivery of phase two.
“The communications has vastly improved in the last couple of months,” said Plaid Cymru group leader and Rhosnesni Cllr Andy Gallanders.
“We also have a site visit to the Cunliffe Centre planned later this week so that we as local members in Acton can get a better understanding of what is coming into our wards. We’re really looking forward to that.
“We are not against 58 council houses being built on the site of the Cunliffe Centre, but that shouldn’t be to the detriment of any users of the Acton Resource Centre.
“My concern is that phase one happens and then the community is still in a position where it’s lost its building,” he said. “What assurances are we getting that a plan for the day services and resource centre to ‘co-exist’ is actually going to happen? That we’re not just going to build phase one and then can’t guarantee that phase two is going to happen.
“I would like to urge phase one and phase two to come at the same time. That’s the only way that we as local members can have some form of guarantee that the ‘co-exist’ option is actually on the plate here.”
But with money allocated in this year’s budget for the Cunliffe Centre move and Executive Board expecting to make a final decision at its meeting on July 7, Cllr Gallanders was told that bringing forward both schemes at the same time was simply not possible.
“I’d just like to clarify that’s not the case,” said Deputy Leader of the Council Cllr Dave Bithell.
“Phase one will be relocation of the Cunliffe Centre and phase two, subject to planning and funding, would be after that.
“I don’t think there’s any issue in moving people into Acton and then building an extension thereafter. But all that will be contained within the report to the Executive Board in July.”
Cllr Corin Jarvis, the Labour member for Acton and Maesydre also cautiously welcomed the report.
“Broadly committee members and local members are very supportive of a co-location model,” she said.
“It seems like a good way to meet the needs of both the Cunliffe Centre users and the wider community of Acton. I think what we’re struggling with here is the details.
“What we’re being presented here is still the same plan as before with the ‘potential’ for the extension, which is a really good solution.
“We understand we’ve got to wait for planning, we’ve got to secure funding but I think the feeling from the report is that there’s no mitigation for if that community aspect doesn’t materialise.
“So if the planning doesn’t go through – and I know that we can’t be sure – to support the report and everything in it without as much detail as possible it’s quite difficult for me and quite difficult for the committee.
“I would love to support this. I just have hesitations until I’ve got the assurances that I feel like the community needs that this is possible, it will materialise and it will be the best option for all of us for the users of the centre and for the residents in my community.”
Leader of the Council Cllr Mark Pritchard, who before the meeting had insisted that the process had not been paused, said the report should be a cause for celebration.
“You have to look at the human aspect here,” he said. “We’re catering for the most vulnerable people.
“We should be celebrating here today that we’re finding the money to invest in another building and bring it up to 21st century use. I do understand the concerns of local residents.
“I think it’s a fantastic scheme. I hope it comes to fruition. I hope the Executive Board support it and we can move forward.”
The committee voted narrowly in favour of noting the report and the continued exploration of design and funding options to deliver phase two – the extension to Acton Resource Centre that will preserve the facility’s role as a community centre.
