Cumbria County Council to close nine care homes
- Published
A small number of protesters gathered ahead of the council meeting
Nine care homes for the elderly are to close in Cumbria, the county council has announced.
The authority said demand is falling and that the properties in question are not up to modern standards.
Of the homes to close, three are in Carlisle, with two in Whitehaven and one each in Cleator Moor, Egremont, Ulverston and Walney Island.
Campaigners opposed to the plan said bed numbers will halve and put pressure on families and the NHS.
The decision to close the homes was taken at a Cumbria County Council cabinet meeting in Carlisle earlier and follows a public consultation.
The authority said two new properties in Carlisle and Copeland, the plans of which were approved in February 2016, will be sufficient to cope with demand.
They are expected to open in 2018.
Councillor Beth Furneaux said: "We can't do nothing. The homes we've got are not full, many are running close to half full.
"Most of the places we are closing, the environment isn't suitable for providing high levels of dementia care."
The homes that will close
Petteril House, Elizabeth Welsh and Langrigg House in Carlisle
Dentholme in Cleator Moor
Brackenthwaite and Powbeck in Whitehaven
Castle Mount in Egremont
Marsh House in Ulverston
Coombe House in Walney Island
Seven campaigners from the Socialist Party held a protest outside the council's headquarters ahead of the vote.
One of them, Brent Kennedy, said: "We need more beds, not fewer.
"They're going to get rid of 137 beds. That's going to cause problems for elderly people, their carers and families. It's also going to cause problems for the NHS."