Calls for clarity over future of day centres at risk of closure in Lancashire

Opposition councillors have called for clarity over the future of several day centres that have been placed under review.

The Reform-led Lancashire County Council had been considering proposals to shut the five day centres after concerns were raised about their "significantly poor condition".

Also included in the proposals, which were the subject of a public consultation, were potential plans to close five care homes.

The proposals were met with backlash and prompted protests from residents, workers, and families. In January 2026 the County Council announced the five care homes would not close, but a decision has yet to be made on the future of the day centres.

Conservative councillor Adam Brierley welcomed the announcement, but said Lancashire County Council should provide the "same assurance" to staff and users of the day centres.

He said: "Residents, staff and families can now sleep at night.

"But staff and users of the day centres are now panicking more than ever – they don't know why they haven't had the same assurance.

"I've spoken to people who will have to put relatives into care homes if the day centre shuts.

"I know a lady who works full time and whose mother goes to Milbanke Day Centre and she couldn't cope if she lost access to that.

"The county council has done the right thing with care homes – now it needs to do the same for the day centres."

Cllr Atkinson said they "had to bring forward" the announcement on the care homes to stop "scaremongering" about their futures.

He said: "The day centres are a different thing to the home you live in – it’s a different magnitude of concern.

“There’s been no decisions made on [the day] centres. It will all come back…at the relevant time."

However, Cllr Brierley said that that stance was to underestimate the importance of day centres to the people who rely on them – and their families.

He said: “My message to Reform is that if they think the campaign has gone away, we’re not going anywhere until the day centres are also saved."

The day centres being looked at 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.

Byron View and Teal House have already been shut for nearly six years, after closing their doors – and not yet reopening them – at the start of the pandemic in 2020. However, their closures are still officially deemed only as temporary – and their permanent status is subject to the outcome of the ongoing review.

Formal decisions are expected to be made in April.

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