Future Of Care Homes Hangs In The Balance

Councillors in Stirling are today expected to decide if two city residential care homes which employ 50 people should be closed.

The proposals to shut the city’s Wellgreen and Beech residential homes to make more than £2million in savings are being debated at a budget meeting.

If approved, the authority will be able to use the cash to deliver a key Scottish Government policy to provide more services to ensure elderly people are cared for in their own homes.

Councillors are also debating cost-cutting proposals which will result in 170 job losses to help the council save £1.8million in 2009-10.

The situation has provoked anger among Labour councillors and with Unison, the trade union.

Graham Houston, leader of the SNP administration, insists there will be no cuts to frontline services.

He admitted the departmental restructuring measures will mean a reduction in posts however, in a combination of management and administrative roles.

Not all the 170 posts are currently filled and some jobs are being done by agency staff.

A council spokeswoman confirmed a proposal was on the table to close the two care homes.

Unison said it raised questions about Mr Houston’s claim frontline services will not be cut.

Unison Stirling branch secretary James Douglas said: “If this is the case, why are the council proposing to close both homes?”

Mr Douglas claimed a decision to close the homes will have been taken with “little or no consideration” to residents, their families or staff.

The SNP administration ordered a “root and branch” review of the council as soon as they seized control last year.

It focused on staffing, procurement of goods and services and the way the authority delivers social care for vulnerable adults and children.

A council spokeswoman said that it is committed to minimising compulsory redundancies.

“If the budget is passed expressions of interest for voluntary redundancies will be made, which will help minimise the risk of compulsory redundancies because there may be a sideways or upward move for staff,” she said.