Strikes threat over Southampton care homes closure plans

A 12-week public consultation on the authority's 2019-20 budget plans starts next Wednesday

Unions say their members may go on strike if plans to close two Southampton care homes go ahead.

Unison and Unite said elderly residents could lose their homes and 80 jobs may go if Glen Lee in Bitterne and Holcroft House in Thornhill were shut.

Labour-run Southampton City Council said the move would save more than £1.3m, but no decision had been made.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Unite said strikes could take place if the authority commits to the closures.

Mark Wood, Southampton branch secretary, said: "This is a very sad day for industrial relations.

"The proposal is both shoddy and callous. We will fight tooth and nail to stop this."

The authority has promised to relocate staff to other areas if the homes are closed in April 2020, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

About 75 elderly people, many with dementia, live in the homes.

The authority said it would help residents move to other locations, picking up private bills if necessary.

'Unfair and sad'

Claire Ransom, Unison's deputy branch secretary, confirmed to the BBC they were willing to take industrial action if the plans went ahead.

She said: "Staff affected by the care home closures are mostly women, already on a low wage. We'll do all we can to save the homes and the jobs of those who work there."

Catherine Russell is looking for a care home for her mother-in-law, who is in hospital, and has visited Holcroft House.

She said: "I thought is was an amazing, comfortable, welcoming home for the elderly. It was clean, fresh with happy residents - an exemplary example of how a care home should be."

Her mother-in-law may now have to return home "with a very large care package paid for by the council".

"Without 24-hour care, without a doubt, she will fall again, she will suffer from malnutrition again and she will end up back in hospital," she added.

"It's so very unfair and sad for all of the elderly and vulnerable residents of Southampton."

Council leader Chris Hammond said: "We will work with residents across the city as part of the proposed consultation, to see what the future of these homes will be."

When the budget was announced, Councillor Hammond said: "There is a shift away from people using care homes, instead opting to receive care in their own homes.

"As a council we also need to transition over to this and help to provide residents with this care that they're asking for."