Back to Square One as Surrey PCT Treats Future of Garden Centre as Official Secret

From Jill Goble

Right. I have just spoken on the phone to Mr Emmanual Gbetuwa who is Comissioner and Service Development Manager Mental Health at the East Surrey PCT.

He said MCCH have pulled out and don't want the Old Moat Garden Centre.

He says that critical negotiations are now going on with other parties but he won't tell me who these are with. These may be completed by the end of the month. The transfer to anyone new won't take place in April but will depend on when any contract details are finalised.

Mr Gbetuwa seemed keen to stress that closure of the centre is the last option they want to look at. He also said we should not be on opposing sides as we all want what is in the best interests of the disabled workers. But when I questioned him on the viability of the garden centre as a commercial enterprise he said that the place was not set up as a business and the selling of plants etc was just a by product of the training and other activites that go on there. He didn't seem impressed by the need to create as many real jobs as possible for the disabled workers.

I said I would ring back at the end of the month to see if there is any news concerning negotiations on the future of the Old Moat.

So basically despite the MCCH report we are now no nearer knowing about the future of the Old Moat or what will happen to the disabled workers.