A PROPOSAL to permanently close a ‘not fit for purpose’ centre for children and young people with behavioural needs in Hawick has moved a step closer to reality.

The Wilton Centre in Princes Street has been temporarily closed due to the relocation of social, emotional and behavioural needs (SEBN) services to mainstream schools following the Covid pandemic.

A recent public consultation sought views from residents across the region on the proposal to permanently close the centre, known locally as The Arches.

A total of 171 people objected to the closure – a third of them from Hawick.

But members of Scottish Borders Council (SBC) were informed at a meeting on Thursday (August 29) that the transfer of the service to individual schools instead of the standalone Wilton building had meant less travel time for many children and a “more inclusive service within the children’s own communities”.

In addition, the Wilton Centre building has been given the very low suitability rating of ‘D’ by surveyors, demonstrating that in its current state it does not support the delivery of services to children and communities without “significant” capital investment.

Councillors agreed to the launch of statutory consultation, from September 30 to November 18, over the permanent closure recommendation.

It has also emerged that a group in Hawick hope to utilise the asset transfer process to convert the building into a cultural hub.

Councillor Leagh Douglas, speaking at the time as SBC’s executive member for education and lifelong learning, said: “If there was one opportunity Covid brought it was the opportunity to re-think the service and after consultation with parents of children who attended the centre, they came to the decision that one facility in the Scottish Borders to service all the young people needing additional levels of support with regards to behavioural needs was not necessarily an optimal model.

“Indeed you could argue that it was a little like a postcode lottery, in that if the young person required additional nurturing and support, due to their behavioural needs for a period of time, and if that young person lived in Hawick, then there was a solution right on their doorstep.

“Conversely it was a very long bus journey, back and forth, if you lived in Eyemouth.”

Councillor Stuart Marshall, who has lived a stone’s throw from the Wilton Centre for 35 years, said: “Something really good could come from this building.

“Hawick is famous for many things and arts, dance, music and culture feature very highly and a group has come along to take the building on, I think we as a council should fully support them.”