Up To 500 Gmb Members Jobs At Risk As Leeds City Council Committee Propose Closure Of Three Care Homes And Day Centres By March 2016

All the officers have done is looked at the proposals that union and staff have put forward and still come up with the same old argument ‘it is cheaper in the private sector’ says GMB

GMB, the union for staff in the public sector, responded to the decision of Leeds City Council Better Lives Service Review meeting on 14th July 2015 to close three remaining specialist care homes and associated day centres (Middlecross, Siegen Manor and The Green) and Springfield day centre for older people. See notes to editors for copy of GMB press release dated 13th November on the then proposals to close these facilities.

This decision follows the Council’s Executive Board approval On 19th November 2014 of a report from Adult Social Care that asked for permission to consult on a number of proposals for directly provided services.

The proposals that were approved were to:

• Commence consultation immediately on the proposed decommissioning of the three remaining specialist care homes and associated day centres (Middlecross, Siegen Manor and The Green) and Springfield day centre for older people. The consultation was to seek views on the proposed decommissioning of these establishments when suitable alternative facilities become available in their vicinity; and

• Commence consultation on the proposal to cease the provision of the in house community support service (long term generic and mental health) with the intention of the service being fully withdrawn by the end of March 2016.

Jon Smith, GMB Regional Officer, said “The outcome of the consultations is that Leeds City Council Better Lives Service Review meeting on 14th July 2015 has now proposed to close three residential homes and day centres.

GMB had an agreement from the local Councillors that before any decision was made they would instruct the officers to come up with a viable ‘in house’ provision. Having received the report on the consultation all they have done is looked at the proposals that the union us and staff have put forward and still come up with the same old argument ‘it is cheaper in the private sector’.

The officers have clearly done nothing to keep an in-house provision as was their intentions all along.

As I warned last November these proposals will place 400 to 500 GMB member’s jobs at risk. If they are accepted this would mean the end of Leeds City Council providing in-house residential care.”