Cumbria County Council backs plan to close four care homes

PLANS to close four care homes to make way for a multi-million pound development received the backing of Cumbria’s top councillors.

Cumbria County Council’s cabinet yesterday voted to put plans to build a state-of-the-art £7.5m 60-bed residential home for the elderly in Barrow out to public consultation.

The proposal would result in the closure of Bevan House, West Point House, George Basterfield, and Rock Lea homes.

The council has labelled the homes “unfit for purpose”.

Under the plan, the number of residential beds in Barrow would fall from 172 to 100. Combe House in Walney, which has 40 beds, will stay open.

The council is confident none of the staff working at any of the homes marked down for closure will lose their job.

And options for the new home to be paid for or run on a private sector basis were ruled out.

Councillor Eddie Martin, cabinet member with responsibility for adult social care, told yesterday’s meeting in County Hall, Kendal: “This is a very courageous and exciting proposal for a state-of-the-art care home for 60 people in Barrow, where there is clearly a significant need.

“This is a very good potential investment by the council.”

Councillor Anne Burns, cabinet member with responsibility for children’s social care, and representative for Hindpool, told the meeting that improvements to Barrow’s care homes are vital.

She said: “If our parents were to look around in Barrow, then we would confidently tell them the care is absolutely excellent.

“It is the facilities that are wrong and it’s hard work for the staff and for loved ones going to see their parents and family.

“It’s about the future and not the past. We as a council should be wanting to put the best facilities we can, first in Barrow, but also hope this can happen around the rest of the county.”

The council announced the plan last month, saying it would allow it to provide more care for people at home, or in extra-care residential units – where residents have independence but the security of on-site care staff.

A three-month public consultation on the plans for the 60-bed home, which would specialise in dementia, will now start in April.

The council yesterday scrapped the possibility of delivering the new home through the private sector.

It would be staffed by the council through Cumbria Care with building costs funded via borrowings, meaning the council would owns and maintain the building.

Cllr Burns told the Evening Mail: “The council is hopeful there won’t be any redundancies. A survey of the staff has been taken and it looks as though they can be incorporated into the new 60-bed home.

“I commend the work of the private care homes in the area but it is important there are council-run homes to balance the market.”

l Cumbria County Council’s cabinet was due to discuss the future of the Neighbourhood Management Initiative in Barrow’s Central and Hindpool wards, but the item was withdrawn after Barrow Borough Council this week pledged £135,000 to save the service for one year.