Controversial plans to shut down three Leeds care homes set to be approved

Middlecross care home, in Armley, Siegen Manor, in Morley, and The Green, in Seacroft, and their associated day centres all face being shut down following months of consultation.

Members of Leeds City Council’s executive board will be asked to approve the plans on Wednesday as well as the closure of Springfield day centre in Beeston and Radcliffe Lane day centre in Pudsey.

New proposals also include the “remodelling” of Wykebeck Valley day centre to become a complex needs facility for east Leeds through a £111,000 investment.

Initial plans to close the facilities were announced in September last year, prompting a strong response from Leeds communities.

Petitions against the closures in Seacroft and Morley have been handed to council officials containing 3,800 and 1,500 signatures respectively.

Coun Rebecca Charlwood, the council’s executive member for health, explained that the local authority took the time to listen to the views of residents as decisions to close care facilities affect some of the most vulnerable people in Leeds.

She said: “The stark reality is that the council’s current financial position means we simply cannot afford to provide residential and day care in the same way we have in the past, and we must put robust, sustainable models in place now so that older people in Leeds will still have choice and control over the care and support they receive both now and in the future.”

Coun Charlwood added that all affected residents will receive the same level of care elsewhere and will not have to pay anything extra for their care.

The council argues that the numbers of people moving into residential care has been falling for several years, while it continues to support people living independently in their own homes.

If approved, the plans will see the Siegen Manor site earmarked for an extra care housing development and The Green retained as a “community asset” that could potentially host intermediate care or recovery beds for the NHS in Leeds.

The planned closures follow the recent council decision to shut down Manorfield House residential home in Horsforth.

Have you downloaded the free YEP app available on Android and iphone?

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ANDROID VERSION OF THE YEP’S FREE NEWS AND SPORT APP

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE iPHONE VERSION OF THE YEP’S FREE NEWS AND SPORT APP