Members of a campaign to safeguard 23 care homes plan to lobby Derbyshire County Council this week.

The Save Our Care Homes campaign was launched last week, with the aim of defending all the council-run care homes for the elderly in Derbyshire from the perceived threat of closure.

The campaign was set up following the news that the council is once again considering closing seven care homes, which it claims need £27million of repair work.

Councillor Ed Fordham, who last week lead a group of nine county councillors to successfully ‘call-in’ a Cabinet decision to go to consultation over the care homes future, said that while he isn’t saying the council is going to close all 23 facilities, there is growing concern among members of the public of that ultimate outcome.

“That’s the nub of politics versus innuendo,” he said.

Campaigners plan to meet outside County Offices, in Matlock, on Wednesday prior to a meeting of full council.

The petition rejects ‘the option of closure’ on the seven care homes which are currently under threat and urges the council to ‘step-back from the implied threat to the other 16 care homes, which are owned and run by the council’.

Once the petition reaches 7,500 signatures the matter can be taken before full council for debate.

To sign the petition, visit bit.ly/SaveOurCareHomes.

Anyone who wishes to get involved in the Save Our Care Homes campaign can contact Coun Fordham at ed.fordham@gmail.com 

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