Dundee City Council’s opposition leader has called for a probe into the local authority’s handling of controversial plans to close Kemback Adult Resource Centre.
The council has been forced to rerun a consultation about the future of the closure-threatened facility for adults with additional support needs.
A bitter battle between the council and campaigners fighting to keep the centre reached the courts earlier this year. Now Labour councillor Kevin Keenan wants a “full investigation” which he says will begin to “heal the wounds”.
He said: “This sad and sorry affair has left individuals with so much uncertainty and anxiety about their future.
“The council’s own recent survey indicated that it is not a listening council. Although the administration have to date refused to listen, myself and other members of the Labour group have tried to do what we can to hear the pleas from the individuals concerned.”
Politicians have appointed an independent consultant to oversee a survey of service users and their families after an earlier consultation was slammed by the Care Inspectorate.
Mr Keenan is seeking answers as to why the original one failed.
He said: “I personally would wish to know what was the scope and the previous plan in relation to the consultation exercise.
“The administration has continued to say that the closure of the Kemback Street Centre was not a cost saving exercise. If this is the case then why were staff so ill prepared when meeting with service users?
“I would hate to think that we have allowed members of staff to be placed in such a position that, when meeting to discuss individual’s needs, they were unable to offer any indication of what type of future service that would meet or exceed their service plan currently offered at Kemback Centre.
“There needs to be a full investigation as to how this whole sorry affair has been handled to date.”
Meanwhile, the council’s solicitors have yet to respond to a judicial review of the ruling to shut the facility lodged by lawyers acting on behalf of campaigners.
The courts gave the local authority’s legal department three weeks to submit answers but the deadline passed 10 days ago.
Sarah Smith of Thomsons Solicitors, who represents campaigners, said: “Our firm has never been involved in a case where the respondents have refused to engage and not given any reason why.
“The hearing has been set for May 1 and we don’t know whether the council’s solicitors are even going to show up.”
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “The chief executive will respond directly to Councillor Keenan in due course.”