Campaigners plan to lobby council over care home closure threat - including Shirebrook

The Save Our Care Homes campaign has been launched this week with the aim of defending council-run care homes for the elderly in Derbyshire from the perceived threat of closure.

The campaign was set up following the news the council is again considering closing seven care homes, which it claims need £27 million of repair work.

Coun Ed Fordham, who last week led a group of nine councillors to successfully ‘call-in’ a Cabinet decision to go to consultation over the homes’ future, said, while he is not saying the council is going to close all 23 facilities, there is growing concern among members of the public of that outcome.

He said: “That’s the nub of politics versus innuendo.”

Campaigners, who have launched a petition to safeguard the homes, plan to meet outside County Offices, in Matlock, on Wednesday, prior to a meeting of the full council.

The petition rejects ‘the option of closure’ on the seven care homes – including Holmlea care home, Waverley Street, Tibshelf – which are currently under threat and urges the council to ‘step-back from the implied threat to the other 16 care homes, which are owned and run by the council’, which include New Bassett House care home, Park Avenue, Shirebrook, and Rowthorne care home, Rowthorne Avenue, Swanwick.

Once the petition reaches 7,500 signatures the matter can be taken before full council for debate.

To sign the petition, visit bit.ly/SaveOurCareHomes and anyone who wishes to get involved in the Save Our Care Homes campaign can contact Coun Fordham at [email protected]

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