Hertsmere Borough Council is considering the possibility of refurbishing Borehamwood Village Hall for use as a drop-in centre for elderly people.

But the Rev Tim Warr, chair of the hall's trustees and Vicar of All Saints Church, sees the future of the Shenley Road hall as a multi-purpose venue for various community groups.

The borough council is already considering spending £350,000 on building an extension at the Three Ways Centre, in Arundel Drive, to expand the elderly day care facilities already provided there.

However, the pressure group Borehamwood Action for Older Residents (BAFOR) wants a facility for the elderly in the centre of Borehamwood.

Three Ways chairman Frank Ward has suggested the borough council could use £125,000, from the same pot of money as the £350,000, to refurbish a town centre building, like the village hall, for a drop-in facility for elderly people to meet and chat.

Mr Ward, who is also leader of Hertsmere's Labour group, said: "We should have a drop in centre in the centre of Borehamwood.

"There are people who say a community drop-in centre would bring back some of the community atmosphere and enable people to escape social exclusion."

He added that the borough council had set aside a total of £475,000 for a new day care facility in Borehamwood, and that after the £350,000 was deducted there was £125,000 left.

Council leader Neil Payne said: "There is a suggestion that maybe the church hall can be used. It has been suggested the council might wish to do a refurbishment.

"I have not seen any figures at this stage it is only an idea and needs to be looked at by one of the officers. It is a possibility, but we need to look at the pragmatics of it."

But Mr Warr, Rector of Borehamwood, said: "Future development of this important site will be determined by the trustees and, where possible, aim to provide an attractive, multi-purpose venue for as many interested community groups as possible."

BAFOR's Fiona Gibbs called for feasibility studies into all options being proposed, including the planned extension of the Three Ways.

At a recent BAFOR meeting, there was opposition to the idea of extending the Three Ways to provide extra day care facilities, because of its location, and support for building a new centre off Clarendon Road and for converting the village hall into a drop-in centre.

Councillor Payne said the borough council agreed, earlier this year, to the temporary provision of elderly day care at the Three Ways, after it decided the cost of upgrading, or rebuilding, the derelict building at Clarendon Road was too high.

December 12, 2001 12:26