A union has revealed that Derbyshire County Council began negotiations with a care provider just before the recent local county elections as part of the previous administration’s plans to sell-off eight care homes.
The council’s former Conservative administration agreed in November, last year, to sell eight care homes before Reform UK took control of the council following the May 1 elections.
Martin Porter, of Derbyshire UNISON – the regional branch of the UK’s largest union for public services staff, said: “Whilst we are very pleased that these homes will not close, we are disappointed that Derbyshire County Council have chosen to privatise a vital public service.
“We are happy that the dedicated staff in these homes can continue to look after their residents, but we believe that in the long run this decision will increase costs and will not improve the quality of care.”
The eight care homes the former Conservative Cabinet agreed to stop operating and to sell include: Briar Close, at Borrowash; Castle Court, at Swadlincote; The Grange, at Eckington; Lacemaker Court, at Long Eaton; The Leys, at Ashbourne; New Bassett House, at Shirebrook; Rowthorne, at Swanwick; And Thomas Colledge House, at Bolsover.
Prior to the election, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party councillors had argued the sell-off would have a detrimental effect on some of the most vulnerable, that it does not take into account an increasing older population or an increasing demand for residential care, and there was no opportunity for scrutiny before the decision.
UNISON union campaigners and Derbyshire Labour MPs also jointly expressed their opposition to the council plans to sell the eight care homes.
But the cash-strapped former Conservative council, which as an authority still faces multi-million pound budget deficits, had argued that it was essential to redesign the service and support people in the most sustainable way.
It also claimed the changes to the council’s care services supported aims to create a sustainable service focusing on other specialist services for people with dementia and their carers, offering long-term residential care and flexible day and overnight breaks to support carers.
The council also previously claimed the changes will allow for greater integration with health partners to provide short-term support and assessment services to help timely discharges from hospital, prevent unplanned hospital admissions and reduce the risk of readmission helping people to stay at home.
Concerned campaigners also joined UNISON rallies in Chesterfield and Buxton against the overall planned sell-off of the care homes.
Mr Porter added: “Once we know who is buying these homes we will immediately start negotiations to ensure that we receive guarantees that the staff involved will continue to be able to provide the excellent service they currently do.”
The former Conservative council’s decision, in February, to sell-off a ninth care home – Ada Belfield, in Belper – was also met with a groundswell of public opposition not least from the council’s Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party groups, residents, UNISON and Belper Together campaigners.
The award-winning Ada Belfield was opened only four years ago at a cost of over £11m but Derbyshire Conservatives argued the care home faced a projected overall loss of over £2m and they said its sale would come with an ‘uninterrupted continuum of care throughout the sale process and beyond’ but there have been no announcements of a sale yet.
Mr Porter said he understood that Ada Belfield is not yet on the market and its fate may yet depend on the outcome of the county council elections where Reform UK took overall control of the council at the beginning of May.
Belper Together hosted a hustings before the election at the Strutts Community Centre for the South Belper and Holbrook election candidates to discuss Ada Belfield’s future although the Conservative and Reform UK candidates did not attend.
The community group revealed that among the candidates who attended the hustings there was an ‘overwhelming consensus’ in favour of keeping the town’s beloved Ada Belfield care home and community facility in public ownership.
Green Party Cllr Gez Kinsella, who was re-elected for South Belper and Holbrook, said: “There was no business case for Derbyshire County Council’s decision, based as it was on flawed processes, a lack of financial transparency and no consideration given to any valid alternatives to privatisation or closure.”
Unsuccessful Labour candidate Mary Dwyer had pledged that if Labour had won control of the council it would not sell Ada Belfield.
Derbyshire County Council, which is currently undergoing a period of transition under the new controlling Reform UK party and is yet to announce a leader or cabinet members, was asked for a statement but has not yet provided any comment.
Concerned Campaigner At The Buxton Unison Rally Against Derbyshire County Council Adult Social Care Cutback Plans, Courtesy Of Unison
