FAMILIES with relatives living in a closure-threatened care home have accused Bradford Council of playing Russian roulette with their loved ones lives.

An action group set up to save council-run Holme View care home from closure has already vowed to fight a legal battle to keep it open.

Meanwhile the Council is insisting no decision has been made yet and says the home’s future is still under review.

So far more than 2,500 people have signed a petition to save the specialist dementia unit in Holme Wood and action group members have met with Council chiefs, including Bev Maybury, the strategic director for health and wellbeing, and Dean Roberts, manager for residential and day care.

Despite leaving the meeting with assurances that some of their suggestions to prevent the closure would be considered, they said they were given no guarantee that the care home, which is rated good by the Care Quality Commission, would remain open.

The consultation period over the future of Holme View ends on April 19 and the action group is expecting to hear answers, as promised, to their suggestions before then for ways to keep the home open.

The home’s latest care Quality Commission rating was “good”.

Councillor Val Slater, the Council’s executive member for health and wellbeing, has confirmed the action group’s views were being considered and has confirmed no decision will be made until after the consultation period has ended.

The action group met on Sunday to draw up more battle plans to continue their fight to stop the feared closure.

Campaign spokesman Sue O’Shea from Otley, who has two relatives living at the home, said: “We are all in agreement that we will fight this closure to the bitter end. Our loved ones are all elderly and fragile and range in age from 57 to 97 years old.

“Research demonstrates that mortality rates as a result of involuntary moves such as this proposal, vary from zero to 43 per cent according to London School of Economics in 2012 and this is not a risk that we are prepared to take.”

She added: “It’s like playing Russian roulette with our loved ones lives. Our loved ones are happy and settled. The staff are caring, they know our loved ones and are able to meet their needs very well.

“At this latest meeting worried relatives drew up plans to put forward to Bradford Council Health Chiefs when we next meet with them, we were unanimous about what we want for our loved ones and of course that it to keep Holme View open.

“We are also seeking legal advice, so that as a group we know where we stand if Bradford Council go through with their proposal to close Holme View.”

To give your support, go to you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-holme-view-care-home-open