OPPOSITION to Ealing Council’s plan to scale back a mental health drop-in service continues after the Conservative group called in a cabinet decision.

It will now be subject to a scrutiny panel vote on July 9.

Cllr Joy Morrissey, shadow portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, is leading the effort to keep the current Solace Centre intact.

She said: “While I welcome the promise to keep the Solace Centre open, I share the concerns of clients that the smaller, reconfigured space planned will not be adequate to meet their needs.”

Ealing’s Labour cabinet decided against closing the centre but plans to move the centre to the only communal area in Marron House, West Ealing. Its garden access would be shared with residents.

Space currently occupied by the centre would be converted into two flats.

Lena Inger, who lives in Pierre Point, Acton, is a supporter of Solace since her mentally ill son benefited from its services until he died in 2007.

She stresses the importance of keeping the centre fully operational.

“It was a lifeline for him,” she said. “He found it extremely supportive and he made friends and found the staff very helpful.

“They could not possibly offer the same service out of a space that is half the size of what they have at the moment.”

Gerald Crossley, a service user and campaigner for the centre, welcomes Ealing’s willingness to increase consultation with staff.

“The council were trying to look like the good guys when, in actual fact, we had not been consulted and there was no transparency on their recommendation,” he said.

“They have been more transparent over the last week.”

There were 9,424 attendances at the centre last year and there are currently 85 members.