The Devon County Labour Group have called in Devon County Council’s decision to close 20 care homes, leaving more than 400 vulnerable adults with an uncertain future and more than 1,000 employees without a job, so that it will be debated and scrutinized at the County Councils Cabinet meeting.

County Labour Leader Cllr Richard Westlake stated;

“ Tory controlled Devon County Council have now agreed this latest wave of cuts to essential services, that includes closing these council residential homes. The proposals have generated a great deal of concern amongst service users, staff , local unions and other concerned stakeholders , who have campaigned hard to ensure that the services are protected through the council’s public consultations.”

“ Yet today we learn that the Council has largely ignored those efforts and the risks highlighted. We have huge concerns that now these services will be privatised away from the council that there will be a drop in the availability and standards of care and services for people that really need them in our local communities, and reductions in the pay and conditions for the care givers, so we will be doing our best across all the scrutiny committees to closely monitor these important issues.”

Cllr Andy Hannan , who serves on the People Scrutiny Committee and represents Priory and St Leonards stated;

“This is a hugely difficult and stressful time for the service users and all the effected staff who are very worried about these changes. The key issue is what will happen to these very vulnerable people when the county council walks away from them. Its also not clear what will happen to those who still require a building based service if there are no longer any buildings left. If this is all forced through its essential that as part of the commissioning process we scrutinise the quality, standards and delivery of these services in the independent homes that we are using.”