LAST month's decision by senior councillors to close a Brampton care home will be further scrutinised at a special meeting next week.

It involves Moot Lodge in the town's Market Place and members of Cumberland Council's people overview and scrutiny committee at the civic centre in Carlisle on Wednesday (August 14).

The decision to close the home was taken by members of the executive committee and it was justified by the council because of several key factors.

These included reduced occupancy and its capacity to meet the diverse and evolving needs of residents as well limitations relating to facilities on multiple levels and access to safe outside space which could not be resolved through capital investment – the building was described as not being “fit got purpose”.

However, the move followed a public consultation process in which almost 90 per cent of residents were in favour of keeping the facility open.

The decision has been called in for scrutiny by councillors Mike Mitchelson (Brampton, Conservative), Helen Davison (Belah, Green Party), Mike Johnson (Thursby, Conservative), Andy Pratt (Millom Without, Conservative), Geoff Mitchell (Wetheral, Conservative), Roger Dobson (Corby and Hayton, Lib Dems), and John Mallinson (Houghton and Irthington, Conservative).

According to the council website the reasons given for the councillors' call-in include:

  • Not giving proper consideration to the responses in the public consultation and whether or not the process was "meaningful or just a paper exercise with minds already made up"?
  • Removing council care home facilities from a key service centre with an increasing aging population which will result in residents having to be located in either Carlisle or Longtown resulting in visiting difficulties due to lack of direct public transport links;
  • Not to have a properly costed refurbishment plan as an alternative consideration and no discussions with the community to see if they could assist in making the building more "fit for purpose";
  • Concerns about the future of the current building which is located right in the centre of the town.

In considering the call-in the committee has three options:

  • Refer the matter back to the decision-making body, in this case the executive, for reconsideration setting out in writing the nature of its concerns;
  • Refer the decision to full council if the decision is contrary to the policy framework contrary to or not wholly consistent with the budget;
  • Not refer the matter back to the decision-making body, in which case the decision shall take effect from the date of this meeting.

Committee papers state: "Additionally, the overview and scrutiny committee may make other recommendations as a result of the call-in to relevant bodies, which shall be considered after a decision has been reached on the call-in."

Wednesday's public meeting is due to begin at 10.30am.