Former Wirral Council care homes to be sold off

Jul 18 2011 By Liam Murphy

FOUR former care homes at the centre of a major political dispute in Wirral are to be sold off by the council.

The homes were at the centre of a legal bid to overturn the council’s plans earlier this year.

Now in control of the council, Labour has decided to sell off the homes which the previous administration closed in March.

But former council leader Jeff Green accused the ruling group of "hypocrisy" and said the decision was "the sort of thing which gives politicians a bad name".

While in opposition, Labour had put forward an amendment specifically calling on the Conservative and Lib-Dem-controlled council to keep Mapleholme open and postpone the closure of Pensall, Poulton, Meadowcroft and Fernleigh "for at least six months" to ensure alternative services were in place and allow "proper" consultation.

At the time, Labour’s Steve Foulkes described it as "a matter of conscience".

Now the authority has revealed plans to be put to the ruling cabinet that the 20-bed Mapleholme, at Beckwith Street, Birkenhead, and 38- bed Poulton House, at Winterhey Road, Wallasey, along with the four-bed residential home at Manor Road, Wallasey, will all be put up for auction.

The cabinet will also be asked to allow Meadowcroft, in Bromborough, to be sold to Age Concern Wirral.

A report to Wirral’s ruling cabinet, which meets on Thursday, recommends "the assets be declared surplus and, if not required by partner organisations, sold by auction". Cllr Adrian Jones, cabinet member for corporate resources, said: "The Mapleholme, Poulton House and Manor Road buildings are no longer needed by the council and therefore a recommendation is being made to progress the sale of the buildings through auction if they are not required by partner organisations.

"Until the buildings are sold, or transferred, the council remains liable for all ongoing costs so it is important that we move forward with this process.

"In addition to this, a separate report is recommending that the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management be authorised to negotiate terms to transfer the former Meadowcroft Care Home to Age Concern Wirral, who have submitted proposals to offer a variety of new services for the benefit of the local community and Wirral residents."

However, Cllr Green said: "In the early part of this year, Labour were seeking to suggest to care users that these could be kept open if they were elected, but now they have formed an administration they are following through in declaring these surplus.

"It stinks of hypocrisy."