Have your say on Herefordshire's community activity and day services offer
Tell us your views on our community activities and day services offer and draft strategy. Friday 24 April to Tuesday 2 June 2026.
Why we're holding a public consultation
Herefordshire Council is inviting people who use community activities and day services, along with families, carers, professionals, and stakeholders to share their views on proposed changes to how these services are delivered.
Together with local people who have extra support and care needs, their carers and families, we have developed a new approach to providing community activities that people want to do, when and where they want, in their local communities.
More than 80 people with lived experience of community activities shaped the new draft strategy. We now want formal feedback from service users, their carers and families, and professionals working in this area
Please read through this consultation and give your views on the options for future community activities and the role of four existing day centres.
Current community activities
Under the Care Act 2014, the council has a duty to promote wellbeing, prevent the escalation of care needs, and use resources responsibly. Community activities and day services support this early help and prevention role but are not statutory services, meaning the council can decide how they are delivered.
Currently, services are provided through a mix of day centres, community groups and one‑to‑one support for working-age adults and older people with Care Act eligible needs, including those with learning disabilities. This includes provision at St Owen's Hub and Shaw day centres, alongside other community-based activities across Herefordshire.
The council's ambition is to deliver a modern, flexible, person‑centred model that supports people to live the life they choose. This may include access to meaningful activities, skills development, volunteering, employment pathways and greater community involvement. A tiered approach is proposed, recognising that some people will continue to need structured support while others may benefit from more flexible, independence‑focused options.
The proposed new approach
The redesigned community activity approach aims to give individuals more choice and control over how they spend their time, with flexible, personalised support based on their specific strengths, preferences and goals.
People will enjoy a wider range of activities, at times to suit them, including evenings and weekends, also including volunteering, supported employment, and independent living skills. Structured support will continue for those who need it.
The new model will enable people to take part in everyday activities in their local communities, supporting independence, skills development, mental health and wellbeing, and social connectivity - rather than relying on traditional day centre services.
These proposals are ideas and options, based on what current service users have told us, and no decisions have been made. Any changes would follow this consultation, and a formal council decision will take into account the views shared.
The proposals aim to ensure long‑term, sustainable preventative support for adults with eligible needs, focused on outcomes, choice and independence, while maintaining access to carer respite across Herefordshire.
St Owen's Hub and Shaw day centres have high running costs and reduced demand. Maintaining several fixed buildings no longer offers value for money, particularly where usage has fallen and community‑based alternatives are available.
In developing the proposals, the council has considered current and future service use, financial pressures, travel and accessibility, availability of alternatives, and impacts on people and carers.
The approach seeks to minimise the number of people affected while delivering necessary savings that can be reinvested in a more flexible, outcome‑focused model.
A strong network of community‑based services already exists across Herefordshire, including voluntary and community sector organisations offering social, learning, cultural and wellbeing activities, which the council aims to further develop.
The proposed changes aimed at delivering better value and improving the sustainability of community activities across Herefordshire, while supporting a more modern, person‑centred approach to community activities and day support.
View the Easy Read consultation explanation
The proposals
Proposal 1: Introducing a new model of delivery for community activities across Herefordshire
A modernised, flexible four-tiered model is proposed, offering a blend of community-based activities and self-directed support options.
This approach would provide clearer pathways to enable individual's outcomes to be met, and opportunities such as volunteering, supported employment, and independent living skills, while ensuring structured support remains available for those who need it.
Proposal 2: Closing St Owen's Hub day centre
The council is proposing to end day service activities delivered at the St Owen's Hub in Hereford. This follows declining attendance, high operational costs, and the availability of alternative community-based support in the local area for adult with disabilities.
We are discussing this proposal and a range of personalised future options for their support and community activities, through individual conversations with all current users of the centre. This includes the option of continuing at another city centre hub operated by the same provider, with the same staff, along with tailored options including support at home and a range of different community activities.
Proposal 3: Closing Shaw Healthcare day centres
The council is proposing to close Shaw Healthcare day centres operating from within Woodside in Ross-on-Wye, Waverley House in Leominster and Orchard House in Withington. Attendance at each of these commissioned day centres has significantly declined over recent years and just 6.2% of the commissioned 225 days a week are currently used.
We are discussing this proposal and a range of personalised future options for their support and community activities, through individual conversations with the five current users of the three centres. This includes tailored options including support at home and a range of different community activities.
Get involved
We need your feedback to ensure we continue developing options for the future based on what people using these services, their carers and families, and professionals working in this area say.
Read the draft community activity strategy
Then please complete our consultation survey:
Complete the survey on behalf of people using these services
Complete the survey if you are a parent, carer or professional
If you'd like the survey in an alternative format, please use the email below to request a copy, or call on 01432 260180 and explain any support you need to allow you to respond.
You can also respond with any comments in writing to:
- Email: communityactivity@herefordshire.gov.uk
- Post: AAC, Herefordshire Council, Plough Lane Offices, Hereford HR4 0LE
Closing date
The consultation will run for six weeks and closes on 2 June 2026.
What happens next
We'll gather everyone's views together and consider how this affects the services we can offer in the future as part of the consultation. We must make recommendations based on these views, which will need the approval of the council's cabinet member, before any final decisions are made.
Your privacy
The answers you provided will not be identified in any way when we use or report the results of this survey. You can find out more about how your information is used in our consultations privacy notice.
What is a strategy?
A strategy explains what we want to improve, who it is for, and how we will do it.
Who will these changes affect?
Adults with care and support needs, their parents and carers, providers of services, and the wider community.
Are other councils doing similar things?
Yes. Other councils have undertaken similar consultations on their community activity offer, including their models of delivery and funding methods.
The impact of these changes is different everywhere, but overall fewer people are attending day centres across the country.
Different ways of providing support for people have been developed that are focused on outcomes, developing skills, and promoting independence which enhances opportunities for individuals.
For example, younger adults often say they want to do things differently and are looking for different support in their local communities rather than from the traditional day centre model.
I like the support I get from my day centre – will this change?
If a decision is made to close day centres. We'll work with the people affected by the proposals to develop a personalised transition plan so that they can access support from other groups and services within their local area.
Are you doing this just to save money?
Partly. As a council we need to make sure that we run our services as efficiently as possible.
We do need to save money, but this isn't the only reason. Use of day centres has substantially reduced, and demand has changed over time.
Reduced demand is due to attitudes changing and people wanting to be able to choose the activities and support they access in their community.
They also need more support to be independent, such as accessing employment and volunteering opportunities.
How will I find out what will happen to me?
We'll write to everyone directly affected by any decisions we make. We'll also ensure that social workers communicate with the people they support.
You can also contact us if you have any questions. If you need further help you can contact us on communityactivity@herefordshire.gov.uk
If Herefordshire Council's cabinet member agree to the changes recommended, when will things change?
If the council agree to the strategy, and the closures of the day centres following the completion of the consultation process, you'll be supported to understand and consider the impact it may have on you.
If you're affected, you'll be supported with a personalised transition plan. We'll work closely with you and your family to provide the support you need to manage any change you experience.
Published: Friday 24 April 2026