Care home plan hope

Plans which would see the borough council plunge itself into millions of pounds of debt in a bid to save Stafford's doomed care homes are set to be discussed by the authority.

Opposition members in Stafford Borough are asking the authority to consider purchasing and running the 33 homes and day centres set to be axed - including Foxwalls in Stafford, Roseneath in Stone.

Tony Pearce and Ralph Cooke will ask David Rawlings, chief executive of Stafford Borough Council, to investigate the feasibility of the plan and bring back a report to the council on the subject.

Although there is no price tag on the 22 care homes and 11 centres as yet, there is no doubt the purchasing costs alone would run into the millions.

Despite the Stafford Borough Council having a budget of just £19 million annually, Councillor Pearce said that he believes it could using 'Prudential Borrowing' to raise cash to buy the homes.If the council pursued this route it could borrow a sum of money - either on the open market or from the Government - as long as it can prove it is capable of making repayments.

Essentially it would need to prove that in the long term the care homes would 'pay for themselves'.

Councillor Pearce said: "It is just an idea at the moment, we are not a hundred per cent sure it would work, but Councillor Cooke and I, along with all of the Labour group believe it is worth investigating.

"If we did go ahead with this the borough could set up a trust to run them. The county would still fund the places, in the same way that they will continue to fund them when the pensioners move into private homes.

"It is too early to say how much this would cost us but we need to look at the viability and will be discussing it at the meeting next Tuesday."

"I can't comment on what the county council's motives are for closing the homes - I'm sure they are doing this with a heavy heart. However I think it is appalling and for those people living in the homes it is a personal tragedy."

Steven Jenkins, spokesman for Staffordshire County Council said it was inappropriate to comment on the borough's suggestion until the county council has finished its ongoing consultation.

He said: "The short answer is, we do not have any care homes or related services for sale.ÊWe are preparing to go and consult with our service users on our proposals for the future provision of our day services and residential homes for older people and those with disabilities."