Doomed old folks' home to go private

Members of Penistone Town Council have agreed to support developers who want to take over Green Park House after it is closed by the council.

Council and health officials agreed on Monday to close the last four care homes in Barnsley, including Green Park House, on High Street. The decision is set to be rubber-stamped by the ruling cabinet and full council.

Coun Andrew Millner, who is also a Barnsley councillor, said the home was now set for closure despite a 3,000 signature petition.

He added: "All the local councillors put up a good fight but it has been thrown in our faces and there is no alternative now but closure."

He said the town council now had two choices - to either accept the closure and for residents to be sent to a home in Barnsley, or campaign for Green Park House to become a private home.

Coun Millner said: "I understand there are two developers interested in turning Green Park House into a private care home and one of them wants to demolish the present building and build a new home on the site.

"This is our only alternative because Penistone has a higher proportion of old people than anywhere else in Barnsley and we should fight tooth and nail to retain some kind of provision for them."

Penistone Mayor, Coun Joe Unsworth, said the town council did not have the finances to maintain Green Park House.

The council agreed to support the development of a private home on the site and ask Barnsley Council to keep the home open until a new one was built.

A Barnsley Council spokesman said it was too early to say what would happen to Green Park House.

The three other council-run care homes which are earmarked for closure are Oakwood in Royston, Highfield Grange in Wombwell, and Greenside House in Staincross. A Barnsley Council spokesman said the plans were sparked by the need to find savings of 3.5 million in adult social care over the next three years.