MP speaks out over Brimington care home closure proposal

Chesterfield’s MP has accused the leader of Derbyshire County Council of only ‘shelving’ care home closure plans in order to win the election – after renewed proposals to shut down a Brimington facility were announced.

Labour MP Toby Perkins reacted to the news that The Spinney, in Brimington, is among seven concil-run care homes throughout the county that are once again at risk following a stay of execution.

When proposals to close the home, along with six others, were initially announced in January last year, campaigners fought to keep it open, collecting nearly 2,000 signatures on a petition in the process.

When a reprive was announced in June last year, Conservative council leader Councillor Barry Lewis commented his party was committed to not closing any home ‘unless there is a new care home to replace it’.

Mr Perkins said: “Labour feared at the time that the Tories were only shelving the plans for the election and would revive the closure plans when they were safely ensconced behind their desks at County Hall again.

“This cynical move sadly proves our fears were right and is a massive slap in the face to carers, residents and families. 

“The proposals were wrong in 2020 and are wrong now.”

Coun Lewis responded by arguing that Labour’s previous failure to invest in care homes had put the seven care homes currently under review ‘in doubt’ in the first place.

He added that the Conservatives in comparison had opened a new care home in Belper and invested £15million in a home in Ilkeston.

The council has proposed a consultation be carried out between November 22 and February 14 on the future of the homes, which it claims need £27million in renovations.

Coun Lewis said the council had to be careful not to prejudice the outcome of the consultation.

He said: “We want to ensure the care for our residents, now and in the future, is the best we can provide as a local authority and that those facilities and services are fit for purpose.

“Ultimately we want to back up our commitment to providing the quality of care we’d expect for ourselves and our loved ones.”