Yesterday, Monday, 29 April 2024, the Renfrewshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) voted not to close the Milldale Adult Day Care Centre. This was the second IJB vote on proposals to merge Linwood’s Milldale Centre with Paisley’s Mirin Centre. The decision to close/merge was rejected after the IJB’s board voted against the proposals by 5 votes to 3.
Last month, Govan Law Centre (GLC) had accepted instructions from a service user of Milldale Day Opportunities – a day care centre for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism in Linwood – to challenge the proposed closure of the service. A petition for judicial review was lodged at the Court of Session on 4 March 2024 against Renfrewshire Council (first respondent) and the Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board (second respondent).
On 24 November 2023, the second respondent agreed to:“Combine Mirin and Milldale: merge the Mirin and Milldale services, which will support the evolution of services towards a community delivery outreach model whilst maintaining a building-based provision strand. The revised service would focus on eligibility only for people who have family-based support, with a flexible, personalised approach for people who have Supported Living care packages”. The second respondent’s decision of 24 November 2023 meant the closure of Milldale.
A local petition against the closure had already received over 3,600 signatures. The petitioner challenged the respondents on four distinct legal grounds in relation to Scots common law, the 2010 Equality Act and the 2012 Regulations made thereunder.
The petitioner was represented by Mike Dailly, Solicitor Advocate at GLC. Rachel Moon, Partner at GLC was the instructing solicitor and Laura McDonagh, Partner at Drummond Miller LLP acted as Edinburgh agents
