Highland Council care homes are ‘not fit for purpose’
CAMPAIGNERS fear for the survival of two council-run care homes in the Highlands as plans to build five new ones look likely to be scrapped.
The concerns emerged yesterday after a private meeting between pensioners’ groups, councillors and council officials on Tuesday.
As the Press and Journal revealed earlier this week, councillors will be directed at a meeting on June 24 to scrap a promised £30million project to build replacement care homes in Inverness, Grantown, Fort William, Muir of Ord and Tain.
A campaigner with Fort William’s Invernevis Action Group left Tuesday’s discussion at the council’s Inverness headquarters convinced that the existing council-owned care homes in Muir of Ord and Tain were “not fit for purpose” and would ultimately be axed while essential refurbishment would be carried out at the others.
John Morrison, of Station Road, Beauly said: “In questioning them, I discovered they intend to refurbish Ach an Eas (Inverness), Grant House (Grantown) and Invernevis while Urray House (Muir of Ord) and Duthac House (Tain) are considered ‘beyond redemption’.
“Their intention is to close both and build a home somewhere in between, possibly Invergordon.”
No councillor or official involved in the exchange would confirm publicly that any such choices had been taken, insisting councillors would decide the first step next week.
Ian McNamara, chairman of Highland Senior Citizens’ Network, of South Side Road, Inverness, left the meeting believing the council would concentrate on upgrading Ach an Eas and Grant House.
“They’ve knocked down Burnside in Inverness,” he said.
“They’re obviously not going to have the big capital spend they were expecting, so Burnside would be a golden opportunity to build something really creative.”
Describing Tuesday’s meeting as constructive, the council’s budget leader, Liberal Democrat Black Isle councillor David Alston, said: “The key concern for everyone is how we ensure the best quality of care for elderly people in residential homes, whoever’s running them. There is no intention to privatise any of the five homes.”
He said the facilities had different problems and lengths of life, but insisted none would close.
Housing and social work chairwoman Margaret Davidson said: “We’ve agreed to meet quarterly because we need to go over issues to help people understand the changes that are going on in community care at the moment.”
Pensioners’ groups are planning street protests for Fort William on Saturday and Inverness on the morning of the full council meeting on June 24 to demonstrate the level of opposition to any U-turn on building five replacement care homes.
