Coastal Centre criticises police over ‘heavy handed’ closure

The Coastal Centre has been supporting vulnerable people in the local community since the coronavirus pandemic took hold, including helping those applying for Universal Credit and those who find it difficult to use the Internet or make phone calls.

Meanwhile, all social activities at the Coastal Centre have been put on hold, and all the assistance provided is carried out with social distancing in place, according to the Centre’s committee.

A statement issued by the Centre, received by the Leader last week, said: “At 9.30am today, April 1st (and it was not a joke), a police officer came to the Coastal Centre which was locked.

“The volunteer inside opened the door and went back to her desk. The officer came and stood over her, took her name and address and said she could be arrested if she did not lock up the Centre within the next half hour. She accordingly locked the Centre and then, in tears, rang the Chair of the Centre’s Management Committee.”

The statement claimed that neither the local authority nor Lincolnshire’s Local Resilience Forum had suggested that the Coastal Centre ought to close, as the volunteers have followed government guidelines.

The Coastal Centre’s statement added that a local resident had made ‘vexatious allegations’ as part of a long-running dispute against the Centre.

The Centre claimed police had acted in a ‘unfortunate and intemperate’ manner based on this person’s allegations.

When approached by the Leader, a Lincolnshire Police spokesman said that several complaints had been received, and explained the Coastal Centre was ‘not adhering’ to social distancing measures, and that requests had already been made for it to close temporarily.

A police spokesman said: “We have received a number of calls from residents concerned that the Coastal Centre was not adhering to the government advice on social distancing and making unnecessary journeys.

“Before taking action, we have consulted with the District Council and the County Emergency Centre.

“Whilst we are sure that those involved in the running of the Centre do so with every good intention, it is duplicating work already being undertaken by the County Emergency Centre (CEC) and the agencies coordinated by the CEC.

“There had already been requests for the closure of the Coastal Centre, and our officer’s attendance was to reiterate those requests.

“The continued opening of the Coastal Centre goes against the government advice, around social distancing and making unnecessary trips, both for those opening the centre and those attending it.”

Terry Stow, the Coastal Centre manager, said: “The receptionist in question is of a nervous dispassion, having at one time in her life been in desperate circumstances and homeless, so she can empathise with the deprived and she works with them with great understanding.

“So now she is deprived from going into the Centre, even just to do her own emails as the policeman forbade it.

“Non-essential ? Well, not for you or me perhaps, but when you have no Internet and very little money on your pay- as-you-go phone, surely we can help these people at least keep in contact with their loved ones.

“Might I submit that if I took your Internet away and gave you a phone with £5 on it, life would be very difficult.”

Following the response from Lincolnshire Police, Mr Stow defended the claims made against the Centre.

He said: “We have kept a record of the very few people who have visited the Centre since we began implementing this strategy;
therefore we can say with some conviction that those residents who have contacted the police have done so without first-hand knowledge of the service offered there, and the precautions in place. We believe those who contacted the police were making vexatious allegations as part of a long-running dispute with the Centre.

“With regard to social distancing, we have a Perspex screen ready for use, with customers and volunteers always two metres apart, usually either side of a desk.

Mr Stow added he does not believe the Centre is duplicating services being provided elsewhere, but complementing them - and stressed that his committee has been in consultation with other agencies, and has been ‘explicitly’ advising people to contact the County Emergency Centre where it is more appropriate to do so.

He concluded: “Ours is a deprived area with a high percentage of elderly residents.

“Our considered opinion is that should the crisis worsen, several could be in distress and need the service of a ‘live portal’.

“That is not to say we are in any way encouraging people to leave their homes but, conversely, helping them to stay in them.”