Campaign to save Notts care homes
A LABOUR MP has launched a campaign fighting the sale of all Notts County Council care homes.
Dr Nick Palmer has written to 4,000 pensioners asking them to back his petition.
And he urged the Tory-controlled authority to rethink its proposals to sell the homes to save £85m over three years.
The Broxtowe MP claimed it could lead to the standard of care at the homes diminishing, push prices up and see land used for new houses.
The council said it would sell the care homes as going concerns, giving residents the right to continue living there for at least three years.
The authority – also likely to also axe 1,400 jobs during the next three years – said it faced escalating costs due to an ageing population plus increased referrals to children's social services in light of the Baby Peter case.
The council also wants to deliver a 0%council tax increase.
Dr Palmer, who hoped to win more public support at a meeting this afternoon in Bramwell Care Home, Bramcote, said: "I am campaigning against the proposals to sell the care homes, including Bramwell, and I have got a petition up in the entrance there.
"It is a prime development for house-building. If the council says it's losing money on the care home, how does it propose to get anybody to buy them?
"My understanding is that if you add up all the cuts that they are considering it comes to more than the sum they are looking to save.
"I think they have built in a mechanism in order to enable them to compromise on some of the issues, so I hope they will."
The letter from Dr Palmer stated: "Bramwell House specialises in offering respite care for many carers who would otherwise never get a break from the very demanding task of looking after a loved one with Alzheimer's.
"Whether or not you agree that the council should make cuts, I suspect that like me you feel that as a society we should look after those who through no fault of their own have found themselves in this position."
Coun Steve Barber, a Labour Broxtowe Borough councillor, said: "My father, who died a couple of years ago, was in a private home and that closed.
"It is the security of it. As far as having these establishments in the private sector, I don't see it as satisfactory and secure."
Coun Mel Shepherd, cabinet member for adult services and health, said: "We are proposing to sell the care homes so the money we currently use to run the homes can be re-invested into extra-care services.
"Extra-care is an extension to supported housing, where older people can live as independently as possible with the reassurance that 24-hour on-site care support is available if and when they need it.
"We're committed to introducing another 160 places across the county. Older people have told us this is what they want. We also believe it is the way forward.
"If the care homes are sold, the residents shouldn't see any difference to their care, as the same staff will be transferred to the new organisation. Contractual documentation will be drafted as far as possible to discourage the closure of homes."
The meeting is set to take place at Bramwell House, in Chilwell Road, Bramcote, from 2.30pm. A solicitor will be present. People can simply turn up on the day
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by Mr B J Mann, Nottingham
Thursday, December 10 2009, 7:14PM
“Errrmmmmmmmmmm, no, Mr Stupid:
Your "comment" (libel) was:
serve the interests of Richard Jackson's car business) is the true reason for these cuts.
IE that:
a) He had a car business.
b) His cuts were made to benefit his car business.
Where have you admitted you were libelling him?
And where have you admitted that either you were libelling your mate the |reverend's blog:
Or that your mate the Reverend was libelling him too.
And you can't rely on his blog.
.”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Tuesday, December 08 2009, 1:08PM
“Justice John Deed I have said several times that I got it wrong as he is no longer involved in it.
However, I stand by my comment that he was.
Perhaps we can move on?”
by Justice John Deed, The Bench
Tuesday, December 08 2009, 9:56AM
“"John I have already retracted my comment about an interest being involved. "
. Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Could you please show us where you made the retraction as i cannot find it, or is this another one of your lies?”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Monday, December 07 2009, 8:40PM
“Can I bring us back to the subject?
This budget seems to contradict the aims the council has put forward.
For example, in the cabinet report, available on County Hall's website, section 3.8.1 outlines draft priority 1 as:
"to secure good quality, affordable services that are highly rated both by users and citizens
We must ensure that the Council provides good quality, affordable services for the people of Nottinghamshire."
They clearly have not realised the effect of this budget on the most vulnerable.”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Monday, December 07 2009, 7:31PM
“John I have already retracted my comment about an interest being involved.
However, it is a fact that he was in the motor trade.”
by John, Carlton
Monday, December 07 2009, 6:02PM
“Mr Senseless, you are missing the point yet again.
You accused this councillor of knobbling county council policies and funds for his own private interests in the Motor Trade.
It perfectly clear that he does NOT have ANY personal interest in the motor trade.
Time for an apology and retraction I think.”
by Justice John Deed, The Bench
Monday, December 07 2009, 5:25PM
“Mr. Sensible, The Real World
You do seem to have a serious problem with both reading and understanding. I will repeat myself just for you.
I have no interest in peoples politics or any other kind of politics as I believe most politicians to be just like you, liars and only there for self interest.
I would only take politics seriously when all candidates were independant and stood in the locality in which they live.”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Monday, December 07 2009, 5:21PM
“If he was If he was a car sailsman, at a dealership, as I think we have established, then he was in the motor trade.
I think Justice John Deed's comments are politically motivated.”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Monday, December 07 2009, 5:16PM
“And Albert, if we take in to account the fact that there is precedent for Tory councils to have to revise how much they get from something, the signs are not good.”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Monday, December 07 2009, 5:13PM
“"but those who comment have a duty not to mislead and tell lies"
So, Justice John Deed, what is your reaction to probably the biggest lie of any; that that the council needs to make these savings to improve adult care services.
It is not service improvements, it is not reorganization of services, it is cuts.
Simple as!
So do you take such a dim view to lies like that, Justice John Deed?
Or are your judgements politically motivated?”