• I TAKE issue with Georgina Gould’s repeated use of the non-verifiable statistic that only six people use Netherwood Day Centre which she made at my deputation on January 30 at full council.

Cllr Gould said she had visited Netherwood in December and there were six people in the centre.

There are many factors that could have contributed to this figure. First potential ill health and how close it was to Christmas when people are away.

More importantly one visit does not reflect accurately the total users who may not go every day to the centre.

Just last Thursday there were 22 people using the Netherwood. I feel Cllr Gould’s repeated use of that statistic is misleading as it is based on one random visit in December and does not present the full picture.

Further to this, the council’s own report into the numbers attending Netherwood contradict Cllr Gould. Indeed at each meeting the numbers in attendance changed.

Also Cllr Gould asked me how I could see a way to finance the centre. First the sale of Raglan and the savings made from moving people to Netherwood, as we would propose including a streamlined transport service we feel has not been investigated properly and would save money.

Also recently the government has announced that the council can have a social care precept of 3 per cent instead of 2 per cent.

Ultimately more funding needs to come from central government, but if this were to be taken up, while it will come nowhere near covering our adult social care funding gap, it would put some extra money in the system, and would be enough to spend part of it on an alternative plan for Netherwood, and use the rest to lessen some of the other planned cuts in adult social care.

Also in 2012, after the second campaign to save Netherwood, I suggested that the centre could be seen as a resource for the community on Sundays when it is closed. Offering it for hire would not only bring in revenue but would also integrate it further to the community.

At the time these suggestions were met with enthusiasm but the council chose not to act upon them.

As I said in my deputation the need for this centre is very real. Petitioning in Kilburn last week I met countless people who said Netherwood was a lifesaver for their families.

How can the council even dream of closing down such a beloved centre? There is another way. It is just whether Camden Council really wants to listen.

JANE CLINTON 
Friends of Netherwood