Two out of six to go in a bid to save £800,000 of spiralling social services costs
Swindon council wants to close two care homes for older people in a bid to bring its others up to new government standards.

It is to consult on the plans, which it hopes will not lead to a reduction in bed spaces.

Swindon's six care homes need a major overhaul in order to meet government standards on space and facilities that will become law on 1 April.

Without closing two of them, the council fears its social services spend – already £1m over budget – would spiral out of control. Closing the homes would save £800,000.

If all six stayed open, according to a paper by the council's director of social services, costs would rise by £2.15m. The number of care staff would have to double, at a cost of £1.75m, and another £400,000 would have to be spent on the homes to bring facilities up to scratch.

However, if two of the homes were closed and the remaining four improved, only an extra £1.35m would be needed: £100,000 for staff, £250,000 for improvements to buildings and £1m on care places in private homes while the transition took place.

Staff from the two homes closed would be transferred to the remaining four.

We are trying to keep council tax down and the social services budget is tight

Swindon council spokeswoman

A council spokeswoman said even a huge increase in council tax would not plug the funding gap. She said: "We are trying to keep council tax down and the social services budget is tight. We will expand the four homes we have and bring them up to standard, so as not to lose beds ."

The Conservative-controlled council is about to consult care home residents and local people on the plans, announced in a council meeting on 15 January.

But the proposals have met with fierce criticism from opposition councillors and south Swindon's Labour MP, Julia Drown.

Swindon is the latest in a wave of councils that cannot afford to upgrade their care homes to comply with the new standards.

Last year, Hanover Housing Association signed a deal with Durham council to replace several of its homes with sheltered housing (HT 21 March 2003, page 14).

n Meanwhile, Birmingham council is replacing its 29 homes for older people with 17 new ones through a PFI agreement.

Source

Housing Today