A Lancashire woman who set up a petition to save 10 under-threat, council-run care amenities has so far been backed by nearly 1,500 people.
Jean Myers set up the online campgain in response to a decision by the Reform UK- led Lancashire County Council to put five care hones and five day centtes under review.
The county council has commissioned fresh assessments to determine the current physical state of the facilities. It says that these will be available in time for cabinet members to make a decision on whether to close or refurbish the premises, which is due to be taken in February.
The buildings were described by the county council as being in “significantly poor condition” when the consultation launched in October – but the possibility of any or all of them being shut down has prompted uproar from the families of residents and users of the services.
It led to Jean Myers seeking help from 38Degrees, a not-for-profit political-activism organisation which assisted her in setting up her online petituon.
By FRiday teattime, her campaign had gathered 1,443 signatures from a target of 2,00o.
in the peitin, Jean said: “Lancashire’s Reform council must scrap plans to close any council run care homes.
“Why is this important? It might be your parents or a relative that this could happen to. These are very elderly people and some are confused or have Alzheimer’s Disease.
“Being moved would greatly affect their health and wellbeing.I f Reform want to win the next General Election they are going about it the wrong way by targeting the elderly and care homes. If they need to save money look at other ways. “
Lancashore’s Cabinet member for adult social care, Cllr Graham Dalton, said last week of the Council’s move: “This review is part of Lancashire County Council’s commitment to ensuring that the care we provide remains safe, high-quality and sustainable for the years ahead.
“The new condition surveys are being undertaken to provide cabinet with accurate information about the state of the buildings when considering future options.
“They are not part of the public consultation but will be available to members before any decisions are made. This approach ensures decisions are based on the most up-to-date information.”
Jean’s petition can be visited here
