By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
More than 40 council jobs are at risk as plans to close a vacant care home in Gloucester have been approved.
Gloucestershire County Council leaders have today agreed to close Great Western Court Millbrook Street as it is surplus to requirements.
The care home has been vacant since March and council chiefs say its model no longer fits with authority or the health service’s needs.
Adults’ support cabinet member Kate Usmar (LD, Tewkesbury East) explained that only nine of the 30 beds have been occupied in recent years and have become very expensive and under-utilised.
She said NHS commissioners said from now on they will only be commissioning residential care beds if they can provide nursing care.
The council wants to get people home as soon as possible and be cared for there as they get better faster when they are in their own homes, Cllr Usmar said.
“There have been a few challenges there and there has not been anyone staying there since the end of March,” she said.
“It has been sitting empty.”
She said the council had options whether to close Great Western Court, retain it temporarily in case needs change, explore repurposing the building.
“It’s an interesting building,” she said. “It’s very very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.
She said it has many pods which do not fit its purpose and there has been a change in how they deliver care the right way.
Cllr Usmar told the meeting on April 22 that there are 47 staff based there who are experts, dedicated and highly skilled, many of which they aim to retain.
“We don’t want to lose them, we want to redeploy them and keep those skills and passions within our
However, she said redundancy is a possibility for some.
Council leader Lisa Spivey (LD, South Cerney) said such decisions are always difficult as they involve people’s lives.
And cabinet member Joe Harris (LD, Cirencester Park) asked if money was not an issue would it be the course of action they are still
Cllr Usmar said they would still be making the decision as the building is not set up to adequate care.
“It’s just not suitable,” she said. “It doesn’t fit the models.”
Deputy council leader Colin Hay (LD, All Saints and Oakley) said if they could sell the site they would have money to be invested elsewhere.
“There’s an expense of keeping things empty. There’s the security of it.
“You’ve got to make sure people can’t get in and if they are you are liable.”
He said the council needs to be agile with its assets and make sure they are not a burden to them.
The cabinet approved the decision to close Great Western Court.