ASHWORTH COURT TO GO UNDER THE HAMMER (Kirklees Liberal Democrats)

Kirklees Liberal Democrats <info@kirkleeslibdems.org.uk>

ASHWORTH COURT TO GO UNDER THE HAMMER

December 19, 2006 7:11 AM

End of council run residential care for older people in Dewsbury

ASHWORTH COURT TO GO UNDER THE HAMMER ~ End of council run residential care for older people in Dewsbury

Cllr Dennis Hullock (Lib Dem, Dewsbury East Ward) is dismayed by the Tory Administrations decision to sell off Ashworth Court despite the majority of councillors in Kirklees at last months council meeting, having backed calls for a new, council owned, state of the art residential care facility for people with mental illnesses, such as Alzheimer's, to be built on the current care home site.

The attached motion was passed at the council meeting in November by a majority vote calling for the Tories to reverse their decision to sell of Ashworth Court to the highest private sector bidder (1). Papers published by Kirklees this week for next Wednesday's Cabinet Meeting (20th December - item 32) say that the Tories have decided to ignore the calls and push ahead regardless (2).

"I am very saddened by this turn of events" says Cllr Hullock "They have completely ignored my views and the views of almost all the other councillors in the district. While the Lib Dems were in charge, our vision was for a state of the art, council run facility to be built on the Ashworth Court Site. It would have provided guaranteed care at affordable prices for some of the most vulnerable people in our community for many years to come. I am certain all the older people in the area would have preferred that sort of reassurance rather than 60p a week back on their council tax! But this decision is about the money and not what people want. We did extensive consultation before coming up with the proposal for Ashworth Court and this is what people wanted. The Tories have completely ignored this, looked at the bottom line and said let's sell it. I am appalled. It's just bare faced privatisation".

"I am going to attend the Kirklees Cabinet meeting next Wednesday (20th December) to challenge this decision. This will be the end of council run residential care for older people in Dewsbury and I will not let the matter drop".