8:28am Thursday 9th September 2010
By Mark Summers
A COUNCIL chief has rejected opposition claims that consultation over the closure of care homes was a sham.
Labour-run Durham County Council decided earlier this year to shut seven homes in a bid to save money.
The action, which was opposed by the relatives of residents and care home staff, was attempted four years ago, but was seen off by a group of Labour dissidents led by the late Albert Nugent, who went on to become the council’s leader.
The council’s Liberal Democrat leader Nigel Martin told yesterday’s full council meeting that the majority of councillors had not been able to vote on the decision because it was taken by the cabinet and then not put on the agenda of ratification at full council.
He questioned other aspects of the consultation, including the use of Area Action Partnerships, (AAP) which was “flawed”’ as people had little chance to ask questions.
He said: “What is the point of a consultation when the final decision will be the same irrespective of the responses made to it?’’ Garry Huntingdon, Lib Dem member for Shildon West, said three parish councils in his area asked for a meeting and were told to attend AAP meetings where “it was not a consultation – it was a presentation.
“ Questions were allowed for ten minutes’’.
Easington labour councillor David Boyes said there were 25 town and parish councils in his area and it would be “logistically impossible’’ for council officers to organise a meeting with all of them.
Labour leader Simon Henig said: “I don’t think it was the case that at any stage we tried to prevent debate or discussion, indeed plenty of debate and discussion has taken place.
“There was never any attempt to restrict the debate. Quite the reverse, we deliberately made the consultation period as long as possible so people could contribute.< None> Councillor Henig also said that the coalition Government was forcing service cuts by reducing funding.
But Framwellgate Moor Lib Dem Mark Wilkes said: “I think it is grotesquely disingenuous to blame closing down the care homes on this Government when you have been trying to do it for a decade.’’
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/trade_directory/