Derbyshire council to consult over care home closure plans

Ladycross House is one of seven facing closure under proposals by Derbyshire County Council

Seven council-run care homes are once again at risk of closure more than a year after the plans were shelved.

Derbyshire County Council said the homes are in a poor state of disrepair and need £30m spending on them.

It is to run a 12-week consultation asking for public opinions on three possible solutions.

Residents at a care home in Sandiacre facing closure previously told staff they would "rather die" than face being relocated.

The county council first announced proposals to close the homes and launched a public consultation in January 2020.

The homes affected are Ladycross House in Sandiacre, Beechcroft in West Hallam, East Clune in Clowne, Holmlea in Tibshelf, The Spinney in Brimington, Goyt Valley House in New Mills and Gernon Manor in Bakewell.

The original closure plans were met with opposition from residents and their relatives and a protest was held outside Ladycross House.

It led to the authority scrapping its immediate closure plans.

The consultation in 2020 faced hefty opposition from residents and their relatives

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said a new consultation will launch on 22 November on the council's three proposed options, which are:

• Close the homes for up to 40 weeks and spend £27m on repairs

• Close the homes and move residents to other "local, suitable alternative provision"

• Close the homes and move residents to "any available suitable alternative provision"

The council has said option two is the "likely most viable option".

It said even if the repairs were carried out, the homes are no longer fit for purpose and do not have the space, facilities or capability to be adapted.

Alongside this, the authority said there was a declining need for care homes, with more people preferring to stay in their own homes, with support.

A report on the consultation is due to be discussed by the council cabinet on 7 April.