Council chiefs back Leeds care home closures

A report to be discussed by councillors next week recommends that two homes, Springs Gardens at Otley and Knowle Manor at Morley, should close - but only when new private residential care homes can be built in the towns.

The first to close are likely to be Westholme at Wortley, Kirkland House at Yeadon and Grange Court, Garforth.

Dolphin Manor in Rothwell could remain open if it is transferred to a community interest company, but this is dependent on a business case passing council scrutiny. If the figures do not add up, it will close when a new private sector alternative is built in the area.

Campaigns to keep open the homes have been particularly strong in Otley, Morley and Rothwell.

A handful of protesters gathered outside Leeds Civic Hall today as councillors and officers spoke to journalists about the proposals.

Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, executive board member with responsibility for adult health and social care said: “This has been a really difficult process, and I fully accept that our customers have found some of our proposals upsetting. However, with reducing resources and more older people to take care of, we simply cannot continue to do things exactly the same way that they have always been done for any longer.

“Leeds City Council is committed to creating better lives for older people in the city, and this consultation has given us a fantastic opportunity to re-evaluate what we currently do, and look really closely at what else is happening in the city.

“Our final recommendations, if approved, will start us on the path of transforming housing, care and support services for older people so that they have access to a wider range of high quality options in the future.”

A council spokesman said: “Council-owned residential and day care units have high running and maintenance costs, and the capital funding needed to upgrade those requiring modernisation is not available.

“However, Leeds has a strong independent sector that continues to develop new homes with better specifications and high standards of care and accommodation. As the number of beds available in the city outweighs current demand, it makes sense to take out old, out-dated facilities and work closely with independent providers to continue to drive up standards in care and ensure that the market is stable.”

A second report to next week’s executive board seeks approval to implement a revised temporary fee structure for publicly funded residents taking up places in Leeds homes from October 1 this year.

• More in Wednesday’s Yorkshire Post