Major list of repairs blamed for closure of Doncaster community building

Mexborough ward councillors Bev Chapman, Sean Gibbons, and Andy Pickering, put out a joint statement on Mexborough Day Centre, after receiving enquiries from concerned residents about the closure of the building.

The three, who represent the Mexborough First party, said they has been told that the old boiler, installed in the 1970s was condemned last year at a repair cost over £70,000.

They said in a statement: "Since that time, we have been liaising closely with relevant DMBC teams and senior officer including Debra Smith, Head of Service for Adullt/Social Care in our area.

"The Harlington Road day centre was a great building in its time but over the years has deteriorated. It is sadly not just the boiler in need of urgent attention but extensive wiring, asbestos removal, other electrical faults etcetera to the tune of several hundred thousand pounds over the next three years. It is therefore not viable to utilise the day centre for service provision.

"We are satisfied that the service-users from the day centre have been suitably moved to the Bhatia Centre (older people) and the Mexborough Youth and Community Centre (learning disabiltiies/special needs) and have been informed that they are broadly happy in their new homes.

"We have personally visited both centres and observed the service-users engaging in the setting and enjoying their surroundings. The service-users at the Youth Club are now located much closer to the town centre and can now access local amenities and entertainment much more easily which is a real positive."

They said former users of the building were now also involved with people who use groups located at Mexborough Community Campus Youth and Community Centre , Mexborough Life Church and Centre and Refresh Cafe

And they say the mix of people now using other buildings as a result of the changes would help securing the sustainability of the former Mexborough Youth Club building and the Bhatia Centre, which is owned by St Leger Homes.

They added in their joint statement they would continue to work closely with Doncaster Council , service-users, local community and residents to protect as many essential services and buildings as possible across Mexborough while being very aware of significant cuts to local authority budgets, transition of community-Led agenda, increasing costs to maintain old council owned buildings and the challenges of maintaining services and provision in very difficult circumstances.