Members of the Gresford Community Health Centre auxiliary and consultative committees have an alternative view on the closure of the centre which is due to take place on November 21.
The Dungog Chronicle reported on October 26 the health centre was to close and the community health nurse be relocated to Dungog.
A meeting was held the following day with both committees in attendance and chair Helen Hall said the groups were instrumental in setting up the health centre and assisted with its management during the subsequent 25 years of operation.
“The feeling of the meeting was that Hunter New England Health (HNEH) has closed the centre, due primarily, to the landlord significantly increasing the rent making the centre unviable,” Mrs Hall said.
“Unfortunately the Gresford Community Group, and the Catholic Finance Committee as representatives of the Catholic Church as landlord, did not get in touch with our consultative committee regarding this issue so that we could voice our concerns to try and organise a better outcome.
“Members wondered whether we would still have our health centre if the rent on the building had not been so significantly increased or other disadvantageous terms such as shared rental making the lease untenable.”
Consultative committee member Margaret Dent said the president of the Gresford Community Group Martin Addison was unaware of the history of discussions between HNEH and the Gresford Community Health Consultative Committee since the conditions of the renewal of the lease between HNEH and the Catholic Church became known.
“HNEH attempted negotiations with the church administration, noting the needs of the community and the high level of maintenance of the building to which HNEH had contributed,” Mrs Dent said.
“Our committee understands the Catholic Church administration had not consulted with parishioners at all.
“Residents of this area are not happy with the church’s adminstration’s position in this matter and are grateful to HNEH for their perseverance in working to maintain good community services in the Gresford Paterson area under difficult circumstances.
“The answer to the dilemma was to find a suitable building to house a community health service.”
Mrs Hall said like all small country communities, over the years we have witnessed the loss of our doctor, chemist, bank, second grocery store, building society and Catholic priest in residence,” she said.
“What will be the next nail in the coffin for our small but wonderful community?”
Parish priest Father Matthew Muller said the HNEH lease ran out at the end of the financial year in June 2009.
“Discussions took place with HNEH around the area of space they needed and the level of market rent before a standard review took place and a normal rate rise, in line with CPI increases, was to be implemented for the lease period being negotiated [three years by three years or six years between 2010-16],” Fr Muller said.
“Consultation with parishioners occurred on a variety of occasions, with all publishable correspondence from HNEH passed on to parishioners so they were informed that HNEH’s lease was up and that discussions were taking place.
“In the lease discussions with HNEH, the parish clearly articulated our desire to have them stay as tenants for the benefit of the Gresford community.
“Only one parishioner spoke to me on two separate occasions on the phone about the progress of the lease.
“Our relationship with them is landlord and tenant and I am not going to discuss their reasons for leaving; they are clear in their communication to the parish, which I passed on to the parish community the week I received it.
“Once the tenant vacates we will discuss with the parishioners options for the building.”
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