Reprieve relief for care home under threat

But the chairman of a group
set up to fight the closure of Melton Court in Maltby, Rotherham, said closure should never
have been an option in the first place.

Bob Holmes, who led the group set up speak for the home’s 21 residents, said both the Care Quality Commission and Rotherham Council handled the issue badly.

He said: “From the outset the residents were not consulted and were just told that the home would have to close because it was operating illegally.”

The CQC, which is responsible for regulating care homes, said Melton Court would have to close after it emerged its owner had been jailed.

Ishtiaq Zahir was jailed for eight years for grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm in 2010, after an incident in Bradford.

Rotherham Council and the CQC said they had reached an agreement which would allow the home to stay open until a new owner was in place.

A spokesman said: “CQC has provided assurances that no prosecutions will be made while the registration application from the potential provider is being considered and the council and CQC will seek to bring this situation to a close as quickly as possible.”