A DECISION to shut two Stroud care homes has been thrown into doubt after a cross-party group of opposition councillors lodged an official challenge to effectively delay the closures.

Gloucestershire County Council’s Conservative cabinet unanimously approved proposals to shut Wyatt House and Southfield, both in Stroud, later this year, at a meeting last Wednesday.

A plan was in place to move residents out by Christmas, but a group of county councillors pushed for a call-in, whereby councillors can claim a process failing took place in the way a decision was made.

Now, a special meeting of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee will take place on August 13, where the closure decision will be reviewed.

Councillor Roger Wilson, cabinet member for adult social care commissioning at Gloucestershire County Council, said the move “adds uncertainty to staff and residents.”

He said: “I am sorry to see councillors using political means to delay this decision, which is going to add to the uncertainty staff and residents face.

“We have acted on the advice of the independent charity that runs these homes, that they aren’t fit for purpose.

“We make no apologies for wanting high standards of care for older people in our county – even when that leads to hard choices in the short term.”

Speaking on behalf of the cross-party group opposing the closure decision, which is made up of Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green councillors, Lib Dem group leader Paul Hodgkinson said: “At the cabinet meeting, the member for adult social care, Cllr Wilson, presented a report on why he deemed Wyatt House and Southfield should close and the residents be relocated. What was notable by its omission, however, was consideration of the views of residents.

"Following a number of primed questions, Conservative councillors voted unanimously to approve the closures as well as a consultation, to start on August 1, on the impacts of these closures.

"For the joint opposition – the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Labour – it was clear that the lack of any consultation with the residents before the decision was taken meant the council failed in its duty to engage with residents.

"I am, therefore, very pleased that the chief executive deemed our grounds for call-in to be legitimate and that a special meeting of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee will be convened for August 13.

"At this meeting I will be calling for any decision on the future of the care homes to be delayed until a thorough and legitimate consultation of the residents has been carried out, and that the council can demonstrate that it has listened to the views expressed."

In response, Cllr Mark Hawthorne, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, commented: “We certainly have listened carefully to the views of residents and their relatives– but a lengthy formal consultation process would increase uncertainty and that wouldn’t be right. 

"That was something which the council looked at very carefully, having taken expert professional advice. It is always a shame to see councillors making political points on issues like this – the focus should be on making sure all older people get the care they deserve.”

The two care homes are managed by The Orders of St John Care Trust, who run the care home as part of the Gloucestershire Care Partnership.

The 56 residents would be placed in alternative facilities and employees will be offered similar roles elsewhere.

There is a 10 to 15 per cent vacancy level across care homes in the Stroud district, the council said, adding that Southfield consistently has more than 15 per cent of its rooms empty with forecasts indicating further decline in the years ahead.

Wyatt House, which specialises in dementia nursing care for the elderly, was built nearly 50 years ago, and the authority said it cannot offer the more modern and appropriate specialist care it can purchase from other homes in the area.

Southfield care home has 34 beds total and Wyatt House has 30.