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Hang your heads in shame
• I’M sure it was a busy news week, but I’m very surprised the CNJ failed to mention the extraordinary U-turn by the Tory/Lib Dem Town Hall on the Jamestown mental health day centre which was sneaked out this week.
Both parties made very clear their opposition to closure during the election campaign. My opponent in Haverstock ward, Cllr Jill Fraser – now Camden’s Mayor – said that “the fear is that closure of the centre could result in a very real tragedy”.
Going even further, her Lib Dem colleague Heather Thompson, said she had “no doubt that if the day centres close there will be an increase in suicides and hospital admissions.”
In their election manifesto, the Tories promised to review plans for closure with a clear implication the decision was wrong.
Now it seems that those service users whose hopes were raised during the election campaign have had them cruelly dashed.
At the Executive meeting on Wednesday, Tory and Lib Dem councillors reneged on their promises to service users and confirmed their decision to axe the centre.
Such a volte-face only months after gaining power is bad enough, but the fact that some of the most vulnerable people in our society could be cynically manipulated for political gain is disgraceful. Those who use Jamestown deserve to be dealt with in an open and honest way, not recklessly promised one thing before the election, then let down barely six months later. Our council leaders should be ashamed of themselves.
MIKE KATZ
Chairman
Hampstead and Kilburn Labour Party
Doulton Mews, NW6
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