New location proposed for city's dementia centre

A new location has been proposed for a city's dementia resource centre after concerns were raised about plans to move it into a library.

Peterborough City Council is selling the building where the centre is currently based, on Lincoln Road in Millfield.

It originally proposed moving the centre to Bretton Library but now says it is looking at a relocation to Paston Farm Community Centre.

Shabina Qayyum, the council's cabinet member for public health and adult social care, said: "We know there were concerns about the prospect of a move to Bretton Library, including parking arrangements and noise levels at this location."

She said the council had been working with the Alzheimer's Society, which runs the centre, to find other possible sites.

"Paston Farm Community Centre has recently become available and we believe it would make an ideal location," she said.

The proposed move to Bretton proved unpopular with some library users, who raised concerns about the impact on library activities if space was reduced.

Under the plans, the library would have occupied about two-thirds of its current space, with the rest going to the dementia service.

The current dementia centre building is one of several properties the council is selling off to plug a black hole in its finances, although a deal to sell the building fell through earlier this year.

The council said this gave it a chance to reassess its options for the service, and look at alternative locations to the library.

The authority said Paston Farm Community Centre offered a good amount of space and facilities such as a cafe, social space, group rooms and parking.

The council said the move was not finalised, but that residents would be kept up to speed on its progress.

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