Last updated at 09:51, Friday, 17 February 2012

County councillors were confronted by a spirited defence of a closure-threatened Aspatria care home by two of its supporters.

Protesters, from left, Iris Stobbart, Carole Local and Maggie Bober

• Video: Care homes campaigners at the county council meeting

Related: Care home campaigners take fight to Cumbria council

They were presented with a 3,680-name petition in favour of saving Park Lodge Care Home.

Iris Stobbart told the meeting that her mother-in-law had moved into the home in 1994 and had been able to maintain her independence due to the fantastic care of the staff.

She said: “It was her home of choice and the majority of staff knew her before she moved in.”

Mrs Stobbart said the staff at Park Lodge were trained in dementia care and her mother-in-law’s quality of life had improved a lot since she moved there.

She added: “She has more of a social life – it’s like an extended family.”

The meeting also heard from Phill Roberts, a Bromfield parish councillor, who said that the county council had deprived the people of Allerdale and Aspatria the opportunity to have an open, honest and transparent debate about caring for the elderly.

He said: “The consultation document is so biased that many people have refused to engage with the process altogether.”

Councillor James Airey, responsible for adult social care at the county council, said he was proud that the administration in Cumbria had been investing to bring care homes up to “gold standard”.

He added that the council wanted to work with the people of Allerdale and with residents and their families, staff and community.

Mr Airey said: “We will make a decision that improves care for the elderly in Allerdale and we are a listening administration.”

First published at 09:47, Friday, 17 February 2012
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk