“The care homes issue is not on the agenda..." - council chairman (From The Northern Echo)

“The care homes issue is not on the agenda..." - council chairman

9:17am Thursday 29th July 2010 in

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FAMILIES fighting to save seven residential homes were left fuming after councillors were denied a chance to debate the issue.

Campaigners hoped last week’s decision by Durham County Council’s cabinet to axe the homes would be challenged at a full council meeting, held yesterday.

Dozens of relatives and care home staff staged a demonstration outside County Hall, shouting “shame on you” at passing Labour councillors.

But when Councillor Nigel Martin, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, tried to raise the issue in the council chamber, he was told it was not on the agenda.

During a finance debate, Coun Martin said: “Given there are members of the public here today, they will be disgusted the issue of care homes will not be discussed.”

However, Councillor Mac Williams, the council chairman, stopped him, saying: “The care homes issue is not on the agenda and if you insist on raising it, I will ask you to take your seat.”

Campaigners had expected the full council to rubberstamp the cabinet’s closure vote yesterday, but that is now likely to happen in September.

Afterwards, Carole Wood, whose late father Albert Nugent saved the homes when he was council leader in 2006, said: “There are old people in care homes still waiting to see if they’ve still got a home and staff waiting to hear if they’ve still got a job, and they (the councillors) are all swanning off on holiday.

“It’s going to be September before it’s raised again. It’s a disgrace. They haven’t got the gall to discuss it openly.”

However, council leader Simon Henig said the decision had been taken openly by the cabinet. He said: “I have a great deal of sympathy with families affected by the decision.

Nobody would have wanted this to happen but, unfortunately, in the financial climate we find ourselves in, we felt we had no option.”

The council faces having to make £100m worth of savings over the next four years and Councillor Henig says a £35m bill to save the homes is unaffordable without decimating other services.

The homes closing are: Manor House, in Annfield Plain; Glendale House, in Blackhall; Lynwood House, in Lanchester; Hackworth House, in Shildon; Stanfield House, in Stanley; Shafto House, in Newton Aycliffe, and East Green, in West Auckland.

No dates for closures have been announced.