New Tranent care home announced

THE location of a new “state-of-the-art” care home in Tranent, to replace the now dated Fa’side Lodge facility, has been revealed – though a question mark hangs over the future site of the town’s day centre.

Ward member Ruth Currie, cabinet member for adult social services, told Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council last Tuesday that Fa’side Lodge Residential Care Home, Church Street, will be replaced with a 60-bed unit to the rear of Sanderson’s Wynd Primary School, as part of the local authority’s Older People’s Strategy (OPS) – East Lothian Council’s long-term vision for services for residents aged 65 and over in the county.

The new Fa’side Lodge is one of three modern care homes to be constructed in East Lothian as part of the OPS.

However, while early drafts of the plans – which have been in the pipeline since late 2007 – suggested that the facility would combine the services offered by the current 43-bed care home and Tranent Day Centre under one roof, community councillors heard that a decision was still to be made on whether the day centre would be included in the new building.

Said Mrs Currie: “The day centre may or may not go there.

“We’re having a bit of a consultation with the day centre people and we’re not quite there yet to be able to discuss it in full.”

A day centre spokeswoman told the Courier that the committee had “no idea” where the facility’s services would be transferred to once the lease on the current Church Street building expires this year.

Dr Sue Ross, executive director of community services, said: “We feel that there would be many advantages in developing an older people’s resource centre that can deliver as many facilities as possible on one site.

“This would provide a state-of-the art, modern facility able to offer a flexible range of services including day care and respite.

“We will be working with Tranent Day Centre Management Committee and others as partners in the development of a new centre and anticipate beginning these discussions shortly.”

Details of the Older People’s Strategy will be available to view during a drop-in session at Tranent’s Loch Centre on Wednesday (June 3) between 6.30pm and 9pm.

The community council also heard that the location of a new library, which will include two community rooms and be fully equipped for disabled access, had also been decided upon – a vacant building yard in the town’s Winton Place.

To satisfy the growing number of bookworms visiting the current Civic Square library, the council’s administration approved funding in this year’s community services budget to create a new facility in the town.

“I understand from speaking to people who have seen plans that it looks really great,” said Ruth Currie.