Preston rally held against council proposals to shut care homes

Hundreds of people have marched against Lancashire County Council’s proposals to close eight elderly care facilities.

The Reform-controlled authority said “no decisions have been made” and that it would take more time to consider the plans after receiving more than 1,600 responses in a public consultation.

Councillor Azhar Ali, who leads the Progressive Lancashire group, claimed Reform were “shocked by the level of opposition”.

He added “all we are asking is that they give a clear commitment: no closures, no privatisation and no job losses”.

Janet, whose mother lives in Favordale care home in Colne, told BBC North West Tonight: “She’s settled, and as a family we go to bed at night and think she’s safe.

“And to suddenly move her from that is criminal.”

Les, who uses Vale View day centre in Lancaster, added: “To me it means the world, because I’ve got Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and it’s the only place in Lancaster that is open for people like me.”

Susan, whose father attends the same centre, said: “It’s keeping him active, it’s keeping him mobile, it’s keeping him interested.

“His mind and his body are much better by going to Vale View.”

A council review proposed closing five care homes and five day centres, two of which have not been open for some years.

Councillor Stephen Atkinson, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: “We are still reading through all the responses we received during the consultation period and we really value the time and effort that people put in to sharing their experiences in letters and emails.

“As well as the consultation responses, we also still need to consider the findings of new surveys that have been commissioned at the homes that are part of this consultation.

“We want to make it clear that no decisions have been made about the future of any of these homes.”

In August, a report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the area’s adult social care services “require improvement”.

The council has proposed closing care homes including Favordale in Colne, Grove House in Adlington, Milbanke in Kirkham, Thornton House in Thornton Cleveleys and Woodlands in Clayton-le-Moors.

The day centres being looked at are Byron View in Colne, The Derby Centre in Ormskirk, Milbanke Day Centre in Kirkham, Teal Close in Thornton Cleveleys and Vale View in Lancaster.