Dozens of jobs at risk as care home set to close

Almost 50 jobs are at risk as plans to close a care home have been approved.

Gloucestershire County Council leaders agreed on Wednesday to shut Gloucester's Great Western Court as it has become too expensive to run and under-utilised.

The council-owned care home has been vacant since March but still retains 47 staff. Some of the team are now at risk of redundancy.

Councillor Kate Usmar, the council's adults' support cabinet member, said that only nine of the 30 beds have been occupied in recent years, and the building is no longer fit for purpose.

Council leaders told the meeting on Wednesday, the authority's strategy was to get people home as soon as possible and be cared for there.

Research shows people improve faster when they are in their own homes, according to Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Usmar told the meeting that there are 47 staff based at the care home who are experts, dedicated and highly skilled and the council aims to retain them.

However, she said redundancy is a possibility for some.

Council leader Lisa Spivey said such decisions are always difficult as they involve people's lives.

And cabinet Joe Harris asked if money was not an issue would it be the course of action they are still taking.

Usmar said they would still be making the decision as the building is not set up to provide adequate care.

"It's just not suitable," she said. "It doesn't fit the models."

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.