Westmorland and Furness Council has decided to take more time to consider all the facts before making any final decision on the future of two council run care homes - Applethwaite Green in Windermere and Grisedale Croft in Alston.
Council officers and Cabinet members have now agreed to defer a planned 27 October Cabinet decision meeting to a later date. This is so that members have more time to read and consider in full a wide, and extensive, range of information including evidence relating to the future financial sustainability of these care homes, the condition of the buildings and their ability to meet future needs, as well as taking time to read more than 500 comments and submissions that were received during the 14-week consultation period.
Cllr Patricia Bell, Cabinet member for Adults, Health and Care said:
"These decisions on the future of Applethwaite Green and Grisedale Croft are vitally important for the residents of the homes, their families, our care staff, for local communities and for the council.
"There is a lot of extensive and detailed information that we need time to consider ranging from building surveys, financial modelling, information about alternative care options and choices, as well as all the consultation feedback from residents, families, community members which runs to hundreds of pages.
"As a responsible council Cabinet members want the time and space to read all the factual reports and supporting information and this extra time will allow members to conscientiously consider all the evidence in detail before the Cabinet meets, alongside the recommendations that were made recently by the Health and Adults Scrutiny Committee.
"I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to gather all the evidence needed to help us make a well informed decision and also to everyone who took the time to respond to this consultation at what we know is a very unsettling time."
Following the announcement by Westmorland and Furness Council, Markus Campbell-Savours MP for Penrith and Solway said: “I am pleased to see Westmorland and Furness Council has delayed the decision about the future of Grisedale Croft. Hopefully, that means they are listening to the concerns of residents. Isolated places like Alston have had their services gutted. We need to discuss how we protect places like this and how we make the communities more resilient - not less.”
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