Announcement made about future of under threat Lancashire care homes

The future of five Lancashire care homes appears to have been guaranteed after months of uncertainty about whether they would be refurbished or closed.

The ruling Reform group on Lancashire County Council has announced that it plans to invest in the facilities, which were placed under review back in October after they were found to be in “significantly poor condition”.

The party says the move will ensure “continued stability and comfort for residents…for the years to come”.

The county council has stressed that the investment plan is not yet a formal decision of the authority itself, but the Reform stance seems to have lifted the question mark that has hung over the homes –  Favordale (Colne), Grove House (Adlington), Milbanke (Kirkham), Thornton House (Thornton Cleveleys) and Woodlands (Clayton-le-Moors) – since the process began.

However, the party has been silent on what their proposal means for five day centres that were part of the same review – Byron View (Colne, attached to Favordale), Derby Centre (Ormskirk), Milbanke Day Centre (Kirkham, attached to Milbanke care home), Teal House, (Thornton Cleveleys, attached to Thornton House) and Vale View (Lancaster).

Opposition groups have branded the declaration regarding the care home investment a victory for “people power” after petitions attracting thousands of signatures were drawn up in a bid to ‘save’ the homes, amid concern from residents and their families about what the future might hold.

Last Saturday, a hundreds-strong demonstration against any prospect of closure also took place in Preston city centre, during which the union UNISON threatened strike action amongst care staff over the issue.

Reform – and the county council which it controls – had repeatedly stressed throughout that no decisions had been taken and insisted that the review had not been pre-determined. The party accused political opponents of “scaremongering”.

Just after the closure of a public consultation into the long-term options for the 10 services back in December, the local authority said it planned to delay a final decision – which had been due in February – so that it could take more time to consider the 1,600 responses it had received.    However, the Reform announcement has now come in advance even of the original timetable.

Asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) how much had been earmarked for the investment, the party said it would be “quantified” as part of the formal cabinet discussion at a later date, when plans would be outlined for “strengthening and investing in the service”.

Cabinet member for adult social care, County Cllr Graham Dalton, said:  “Our priority has always been – and remains – doing what is right for the people of Lancashire who rely on our care.

“That’s why our review into the model of care across Lancashire has identified that investment is long overdue.

“Lancashire residents expect and deserve high-quality social care services. We’re committed to innovation and investment that ensures services remain safe, sustainable and fit for the future. Our existing care homes must receive the investment they deserve.

“Residents should be in no doubt that our administration is thinking of families and the workforce when we make decisions. Many have been understandably anxious during this process which is why we will share the conclusions of this review with you at the earliest opportunity.

“The Reform group and Lancashire County Council would like to thank all stakeholders that have taken part in this process. Our commitment to enabling Lancashire residents in our care to live meaningful lives is unwavering.”

Azhar Ali, leader of the official opposition group, Progressive Lancashire – an alliance of independent and Green Party councillors – told the LDRS he welcomed what he described as the “U-turn” over the care homes, but said further clarity was still needed.

“This is people power – thousands of people signing petitions and demonstrating, as well as opposition groups coming together, and fighting Reform’s crazy plans for the elderly and most vulnerable in our society.

“But there has been more communication chaos over this – we now need Lancashire County Council to write, urgently, to every affected resident and their family to confirm that there’ll be no closure of care homes,” County Cllr Ali said.

Mark Clifford, leader of the Labour group at County Hall, said it was “hypocrisy” for Reform to now claim that closures had never been on the cards.

“I’m the shadow cabinet member for adult social care who gets the briefings with the [county council] directors, where I was told that there [was] a high likelihood [of closure] – that’s why there was a closure programme [on the cabinet agenda in October].

“It’s only after the huge demonstration in Preston put so much pressure on the Reform administration here – and obviously Nigel [Farage] was so upset and embarrassed, he got on to the leadership,” County Cllr Clifford suggested.

David Whipp, who camapigned to protect Favordale, said he was “delighted that Reform have bowed to public pressure, are doing a U-turn and keeping care homes open”.

“[But] the way they’ve handled this has been terrible. Putting people through the wringer like this is just wrong.

“Residents, families and care staff haven’t had any notification from the county council though. There’s no official decision, and investment in care homes is still uncertain.

“We now need to recover from this mistake and make positive plans for the future,” County Cllr Whipp said.

Meanwhile a spokesperson for Lancashire County Council drew a distinction between the Reform UK announcement about planned investment and the formal processes of the authority itself, which have yet to come to a conclusion.

“We went out to consult on the future of our care homes, because we wanted to hear directly from residents, families and our workforce about what matters most to them. The council has not made any decision at this stage.

“Now that the consultation has closed, officers are analysing all the feedback and preparing a full report for cabinet in spring, where councillors will review the findings before making any formal decisions.

“Under the legal requirements of our consultation process, no formal decision can be taken until the consultation has concluded, the findings have been fully analysed, and a detailed report has been presented to cabinet for consideration.

“It is imperative that we follow the correct legal and democratic procedures and take the time to ensure residents’ voices are fully taken into account. Until that process is complete, no decision can be made by the council.

“We would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their views during the consultation. We understand how worrying and unsettling this process has felt for many people, but rest assured that your feedback is essential and will play a meaningful role in shaping the recommendations.”

MP REACTION

Responding to the news regarding the Milbanke care home, the Conservative MP for Fylde, Andrew Snowden, said:

“This is the right outcome, and it has happened because the people of Kirkham stood up and made it very clear that Reform’s plans which could have closed these care homes was wrong.

“Milbanke was put under threat, families were alarmed by talk of closure, and staff were left worrying about the future. That was unacceptable.”

Chorley MP Sir Lindsay Hoyle said of Grove House:  “I would like to thank all those who actively campaigned to protect this valuable community resource.

“Grove House can now continue to provide the great care they have always given to those most in need within our local community.”

Commenting on the implications for the Woodlands care home, Sarah Smith, Labour MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden said:

“This has been hard fought, but it is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we work together and refuse to stay quiet.

“I have spent months speaking with residents, staff and families. The staff at Woodlands are truly the best of us. They work incredibly hard under huge pressure and their care and commitment to residents never wavered.

“This process caused months of unnecessary worry for elderly residents who have paid into the system all their lives, and it could have been completely avoided.

“Thanks to a determined community campaign, with local protests, petitions and raising concerns in parliament, we made it impossible for these plans to go ahead. Residents now have the certainty they deserve, and Woodlands can continue as the community home it should always have been.”