At the special People Overview & Scrutiny meeting on Friday 4 September, councillors will discuss proposals on the future options for Wellington House Day Centre. No decisions will be made at this meeting but the committee may make recommendations to Cabinet regarding the proposals.
The centre provides daytime support for adults with learning disabilities in the city and a report on the options will be discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Thursday 17 September.
Wellington House currently supports 21 adults with learning disabilities. Some of the attendees have complex behavioural support needs, while a number of attendees are autistic and have additional needs, including communication difficulties, sensory processing differences, health conditions and physical disabilities which require a high level of support.
The Cabinet report sets out that due to falling attendance, operating from an ageing building, and high running costs, Wellington House is no longer operating as efficiently and flexibly as it should.
At the Full Budget Council meeting in February, councillors agreed the budget for the 2026/27 financial year. This included a proposal to close the Wellington House Day Centre, with day support to be provided by recommissioning external provision.
Following consultation and engagement, the estimated annual saving through recommissioning this support, inclusive of travel costs, is estimated to be £336,563.
A consultation was held from 14 April to 7 July 2026 to understand the potential impact on service users, families, carers, staff and the wider community. Engagement activities included:
The report addresses the potential for alternative provision should a decision be made by Cabinet to close Wellington House Day Centre. There are 6 other existing providers of day services for adults with learning disabilities in Brighton & Hove and several new providers setting up in the city in the very near future. If a decision is made to close Wellington House, there are sufficient places in the city to meet the needs of all 21 current service users.