COUNCILLORS were booed today (April 16) after agreeing to close their last five care homes to save money.

Durham County Council's cabinet said it was a with heavy heart they had to close Cheveley House in Belmont, Feryemount in Ferryhill, Grampian House in Peterlee, Mendip House in Chester-le-Street and Newtown House in Stanhope.

The Durham People’s Assembly held a protest outside the council chamber in Crook before the meeting, and there was also booing after the cabinet unanimously supported closure, against the wishes of more than 80 per cent of the 700 people who responded to a consultation.

Weardale councilors John Shuttleworth and Anita Savory said they were disgusted by the decision.

Councillor Savory said: “Once again the public have been ignored, money is deemed more important than human life, my thoughts are with everyone affected by the closures, this is a sad day for Weardale.”

Rachael Shimmin, corporate director of children and adults services, said it costs an extra £22,000 a year per person to keep the 40 current residents in council-run homes than for the authority to pay for them to be placed in independent homes.

The authority also claimed more than £4m is needed to be spent to improve the homes over the 10 years, although the Care Quality Commission last year said they all met required standards.

Deputy leader Alan Napier said “savage” cuts imposed by the Government, which are seeing the authority have to save around £220m, were to blame.

Two dozen protestors attended the meeting, with those allowed to speak raising concerns over the impact a move will have on the residents and extra distances Weardale families in particular will face as the nearest home is more than 15 miles away from Stanhope.

Protestor Clement O'Donovan urged the cabinet to reject the closure of Newtown House in particular, adding: "The moral and ethical test of a council is how it supports its communities and treats its vulnerable residents."

Coun Shuttleworth accused the cabinet members of being puppets to the council's chief officers, a claim refuted by Lucy Hovvels, member for healthier and safer communities who said she had "lost several nights sleep" over the decision.

Leader Simon Henig said the council was the last in the region to have its own in house care with others choosing to commission rather than provide care.

He said: “I do not think any member of cabinet does not fully grasp the special and unique character of Weardale and that, along with the high quality of care our homes provide, has made this decision particularly difficult.”

Ms Shimmin said the council will support residents with future moves and in certain cases will offer transport to help relatives visit their loved ones in their new homes.