Kirklees Council to vote on sale of care homes

Claremont House in Heckmondwike was under threat along with Castle Grange in Huddersfield

A cash-strapped council will vote on whether to sell two care homes previously saved from closure.

Kirklees Council had proposed shutting Castle Grange in Huddersfield and Claremont House in Heckmondwike and moving residents to other homes.

But they were saved following a campaign from residents' families.

With the council needing to save £47m from next year's budget, plans to sell the homes to a private operator will be voted on at a meeting on Tuesday.

The council will continue to run both homes if the proposals are rejected, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

A council report said just 37 of the 80 beds across the two sites were currently being used by residents.

However, the report said the occupancy rate resulted in "little variance" in the operating costs of the homes, with the combined costs for 2023/24 exceeding £4.9m.

Based on the council's calculations, a saving of approximately £1.35m would be made if the council was funding 80 beds at homes in the private sector.

'Tough decisions'

Councillor Jackie Ramsay, cabinet member for health and social care, said: "We must look at how we can make the best of the limited resources available to us.

"There has been a lack of sustainable, long-term funding for social care from government which means, like other councils, we are now having to make some tough decisions."

In January, Communities Secretary Michael Gove committed an additional £500m for councils to help fund children's and adult social care.

Kirklees Council reversed its decision to close the homes following a 12-week consultation.

Ms Ramsay said the authority would "start to fill the available beds in both homes whilst continuing to explore options with independent sector providers for a transfer."