Bradford Council care home closure decision is taken (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Laurence House in Undercliffe, Meadowcroft in Rooley Lane and Thackley Grange in Idle to close
7:10am Saturday 25th June 2011 in Undercliffe
By Jo Winrow, City Hall Reporter
Laurence House
Senior councillors made the “difficult” decision yesterday to close three care homes despite a last-ditch plea from the relative of a resident who described one of the homes as “awesome”.
Bradford Council’s executive agreed to the closure of Laurence House in Undercliffe, Meadowcroft in Rooley Lane and Thackley Grange in Idle.
It is part of a review of Council-run care provision which would see them replaced with five homes providing short-term care and long-term dementia care.
One man, whose mother lives at Laurence House, told councillors he believed the home still provided the best facilities and finding a suitable alternative was proving difficult despite visiting 20 different homes.
Council leader Ian Greenwood said: “These decisions are always very difficult but we have to make them in the context of continuing to provide residential care on an ongoing basis.
“In these circumstances we have little alternative than to move forward to a situation where we concentrate on what we are good at – and that is specialist care.”
He said some other authorities were moving out of providing care homes altogether but that was not appropriate in Bradford. The Council would act as a beacon for others.
Councillor Amir Hussain, the portfolio holder for adult services, added: “It’s a very difficult decision but one that we have to do and I think its the best interest of the services users long-term.”
The buildings are home to 26 people and they will not close until alternative suitable accommodation has been found for all residents.
Executive members also agreed to: an approach to commissioning services as part of a £1.5 million employment and skills transition fund; developing the building proposals for two special schools; and the next step in plans for a health and well-being centre in Keighley.
Comments(9)
Dismayed4u
says...
8:09am Sat 25 Jun 11
Yorkshire Lass
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8:32am Sat 25 Jun 11
Thee Voice of Reason
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10:07am Sat 25 Jun 11
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There is so much money that can be saved on non front line services but it appears to be ignored.
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We received a community pride paper the other day, what a load of garbage that is, cut it and cut it now spend the money on homes like in the story.
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Cut the generous 65p mileage rates to 45p like pretty much everywhere else and make the unions pay for their own reps, not us taxpayers.
Rambo
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12:13pm Sat 25 Jun 11
Thee Voice of Reason wrote:T&A journalists - why are you afraid to track down and confront Mr Reeves as to the many messes this city is in? As probably one of the highest paid people in the district that he is responsible for it is a gross insult to everyone in said district that probably the one body that could put him on the spot publicly continually chickens out.
Council executive, would that be the elusive Mr Reeves who refused point blank to take a cut in his £200k a year salary.
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There is so much money that can be saved on non front line services but it appears to be ignored.
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We received a community pride paper the other day, what a load of garbage that is, cut it and cut it now spend the money on homes like in the story.
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Cut the generous 65p mileage rates to 45p like pretty much everywhere else and make the unions pay for their own reps, not us taxpayers.
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Maybe we should ask the Yorkshire Post, they seem to be better at that sort of thing.
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This whole band of council merry men - 'The £100k+ Club" - are seemingly totally unaccountable for their actions. They are never confronted, only ever speaking to put out PR blurb. They someone has the ingenious idea like having flamenco dancers and rappers on the streets will help bring people to the city centre.
Colin Allcars
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5:57pm Sat 25 Jun 11
hemmy
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8:05pm Sun 26 Jun 11
Albion.
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8:24pm Sun 26 Jun 11
hemmy wrote:I think newspaper sales in general are declining, to be quite honest looking at the circulation figures for some makes me wonder how they manage to keep going.
don't ever expect the T&A to do anything about the council. is it a coincidence that this rag has lost all its investigative talents since the arrival of the editor? nothing has been questioned by this paper for years. the only good thing i can see that he's done is reducing the number of editions. there were too many and must have saved a lot of money reducing to one. shame they went tame because it backfired on them, now people are'nt buying the T&A in the same numbers, simply because it won't do things for ALL of the bradford people, and won't dig where they should. word of advice for the T&A... start to dig for answers from the council on 1/ the odeon, 2/ the westfield fiasco and 3/ the city park and mirror pool. ask hard questions and get the answers and watch the papers sell.
railways
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3:25pm Wed 29 Jun 11
Yet more closures of care homes. I ask,have you ever experienced or had the responsibilty for an elderly parent, relative or old friend? These people are human beings and some have no one and totally rely on one for even the simplest things in life (which are important to them)....
When is it all going to stop.
Why is Bradford being run down.
What is happening to the revenue generated from the rates, council tax etc....
I am very angry to see Bradford being brought to its feet and the hardworking and decent people of Bradford being taken for a ride.
You know who i mean and they knead to be shamed and dismissed.
Patrick Bateman says...
7:58am Sat 25 Jun 11