Council 'misled' families over home closure
FAMILIES of people living in a doomed care home claim they have been misled by Nottingham City Council.
The Riverside Care Home, in Bulwell, was earmarked for closure more than three years ago because of the condition of the building.
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CAPTION HERE: The home
Since then, the city council has reassured relatives an alternative home would be found and planned to spend £800,000 refurbishing another home.
But now the closure has been finalised and there is no money for a replacement home.
Eric Norton, 80, was relying on Riverside and its successor to care for his daughter, Carole, 51.
"I thought I had sorted it for her," he said. "They have been leading us up the garden path, saying they will move us into other premises or have premises built, and now it has come to the crunch, they are not.
"They know these people cannot complain and their parents are ageing. They are sweeping them under the carpet."
Elaine Goodacre, whose older brother Alan Jameson has Down's Syndrome and is at the home, said: "It is diabolical. They have known about this for four years."
One staff member at Riverside, who did not want to be named, said: "It really is disgusting. They knew years ago there was a problem with the building – and they have done nothing."
In a statement, the city council said: "It would not be cost-effective to rebuild or refurbish the premises up to the standards for 21st century adult care."
The council plans to accommodate clients at Oakdene, its only other home for people with learning disabilities, in private sector accommodation or with adult "foster carers".
It had previously agreed, in September 2006, they would be moved to a refurbished home in St Ann's.
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by what you want to hear, nottingham
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 10:25AM
“Not only are these people losing there home but they are losing there day service how would the THE BIG BOSS MEN feel if he lost his home and his job because that is what these service users are going though.”
by vicki, wollaton
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 11:14PM
“apart from not vote labour what can they do ?”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 10:16PM
“Mr Sensibilty you're missing the point.
The point is, at least the City Council can be publically held accountable for that decision, whereas the Tory proposal would mean that whatever the new owners wanted to do the public could not do anything about it.”
by mr sensibilty, the real word
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 10:02PM
“in a nuttshelf labour home closures is good
conserfitives home closures is evil.”
by vicki, wollaton
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 9:58PM
“they've already sold their country down the river”
by vicki, wollaton
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 9:57PM
“labour will sell their own grandmother for a vote”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 8:45PM
“John, the crux of my argument is that, bad as I think this decision is, it's better for a council to be able to take decisions on services and be held publically accountable for those decisions, rather than to follow Tory policy and wash its hands of any responsibility, by selling to owners who will not be accountable, with "conditions" that, frankly, are not worth the paper they're written on.”
by Meeki, Notingham
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 7:40PM
“I forgot to mention next to the care home is a Labour sponsored under one roof development where the Health Centre, tyre sales and youth centre have been demolished. The Home prevents redevelopments.
We are witnessing another of our Council's feeble excuses to displace the vulnerable.
The same councillors and supportive Council management used exactly the same tactics to close a Home for the Elderly.”
by John, Carlton
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 7:28PM
“Typical illogical reasoning from Senseless.
Owning and closing a home now is better than selling it as a going concern to another operator with conditions and guarantees, because they might POSSIBLY close it down at some future period.
Incredible !!”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 5:16PM
“Margaret, that may well be so, and I think closing this home is a bad thing to do, but at least the council is in control and can be held to account.
Under County Council proposals, the 13 homes will be sold to someone else and, if that someone else wants to close them (Bramwell is in development teritory) the Council won't be able to do a thing about it.”