Anger at Brighton Tories' care home closure
4 February 2008
Brighton and Hove Green councillors have expressed their anger at the Tory-led council's planned closure of the Vernon Gardens Centre, a care home for older people.
The decision to close the popular and highly valued residential and day centre was taken at the city council's Adult Social Care & Health Committee meeting on 28 January.
It only passed with the casting vote of the Tory committee chair who concluded with the words, "I don’t know what you are making such a fuss about".
Rachel Fryer, Green councillor and spokesperson on Adult Social Care and Health (pictured below), is particularly concerned that the decision rides roughshod over the consultation process, in which just 12% of t he 78 respondents wanted the home to be closed.
The majority of the long- and short-stay residents, day centre users, their relatives and staff, all urged the Council to explore other options.
Brighton and Hove Green Party also poured scorn at the Tory administration’s claim that the centre, which is deemed ‘not-fit-for-purpose’, will cost £1.5m to put right.
Councillor Fryer said, “We believe this figure may be over-inflated. The Council has had five years to find the money to refurbish and update this centre, which is highly valued by all who use it, and is officially rated as 'Good'.
"The Committee was presented with four options, yet only two were presented as viable, both of which mean closing the centre to elderly people.
"It seems as if the decision to close it was made long before Monday’s meeting, without concern for the distress that this will cause to elderly and vulnerable people.”
Green Councillors asked at the meeting for all potential funding streams to be fully researched and for options to protect day services in the area to be presented.
“We strongly suspect that the real motive behind the closure is the aim to transfer all services to the private sector.
"Two decades ago there were 15 residential homes in the city. With the Vernon Gardens closure, only one will be left.
"We are concerned the independent sector tends to have less highly trained and qualified staff, a higher staff turnover and consequently a less consistent and a lower quality of care.
"There is already a shortage in the city of transitional beds and there are fears that closing Vernon Gardens will increase pressure on hospitals.
"This is a short-sighted, quick-cash fix solution which will have serious long-term implications."
Notes to editors:
Media; For more information contact Lizzie Deane, External Communications Co-ordinator, 07899 843206.[ENDS]
