Campaign to save Winterton care home complex at De Lacy House

A CAMPAIGN to save a Winterton care home complex has been launched by a senior citizen’s forum.

Plans from North Lincolnshire Council will see De Lacy House in Winterton flattened and replaced with a 16 two-bedroomed bungalow complex for elderly people, subject to planning permission.

A Government grant will cover £370,000 of the cost, with the remainder being made up by North Lincolnshire Homes.

The demolition is part of a two-stage project involving a further 23 homes being built on the former Nassau House site, a few hundred yards from De Lacy House.

However, these plans have been met with opposition from members of the Winterton Senior Citizen’s Forum - which includes elderly residents from Winterton and the North Lincolnshire area.

Councillor Rob Waltham, cabinet member for people at North Lincolnshire Council, was invited to a special meeting of the Winterton Senior Citizen’s Forum, held on February 14.

Councillor Waltham addressed questions from members of the forum, including concerns over the level of care residents will receive in this new complex.

Members also raised concerns that North Lincolnshire Council had not consulted them about these plans.

Jim Hardingcorrect, chairman of the Winterton Senior Citizen’s Forum, said De Lacy House should be saved.

He said: “De Lacy House is the jewel in the crown of Winterton.

“Taking it away would be like ripping the heart out of part of Winterton.

“The simple word here is consultation.

“I feel that this is what has been sadly missed.

“Nobody said they were consulted on De Lacy House.

“It is important that we save De Lacy House.”

Colin Beltoncorrect, 63, a resident of Scunthorpe and member of the forum, said people were well looked after at De Lacy House.

He said: “Someone sat alone, isolated in her flat - she has to rely on someone to come see her.

“De Lacy House had that there.

“Mary Jackson used to go around and check they were all right.”

Barton Town councillor Ann Clark, who was invited to the meeting, said the new plans would not accommodate people who need full-time care.

She said: “We should be looking at making sure there are things in the community for older people.

“There is not the facility in there for people who need help to get dressed and washed and for people that need to be brought back into society and their own homes.

“That is what we are missing.”

However, not everyone was opposed to the plans.

Winterton town mayor Francesca Marritt said she wanted to find out more about the public consultation.

She said: “We did not win Nassau House - that was North Lincolnshire Home’s decision.

“It was a big mistake.

“Me and Councillor Waltham both agreed this.

“What I am concerned about, is there is a planning application in front of North Lincolnshire councillors and what I am hearing from you is that you have not been consulted.

“I want to know what consultation you have had and what consultation is taking place elsewhere.”

As part of the plans for De Lacy House, two of the bungalows will be specifically designed to have disabled access, which may include things like ramps and hoists.

These two bungalows will be made available for residents who need re-ablement care.

All the other bungalows will be disabled friendly.

There will also be a community hall within the complex, as part of the plans.

This will offer a variety of activities for residents, such as bingo.

Councillor Rob Waltham, cabinet member for people at North Lincolnshire Council, said: “We put an article in the Scunthorpe Telegraph in November about the plans for De Lacy House.

“To address the issues around De Lacy House, we went around and looked around De Lacy House.

“We had a very open and transparent way of conducting the business.”

There are currently two residents in De Lacy House.

Councillor Waltham said the provision for respite care stopped around three years ago.

“Up until December, there were two full-time residents.

“The time that permanent care stopped being provided at De Lacy House was 2003 - five years ago.

“The re-ablement care is what is being provided.

“The reality is people don’t often go into care homes now.

“The reality is people do live long and independent lives.

“The care stage at De Lacy House was done a long, long time ago.

“None of the staff that work at De Lacy House will be made redundant.

“Some may choose to retire and some will be repatriated to The Lilacs.”

Councillor Waltham said the possibility of a 24-hour warden at the new care complex had not been ruled out.

He said: “You have to look at the people that are moving in.

“Over the next 12 months, we will be looking at what is needed.”

Members of the Winterton Senior Citizen’s Forum took a vote at the meeting, on who wanted to save De Lacy House and it was a majority vote from members, in favour of saving it.

Mr Harding wrote to North Lincolnshire Council and they have granted a four-week extension for people to raise any objections on this planning application.

Anyone that wishes to express their views to the Winterton Senior Citizen’s Forum, should contact Jim Harding via email, at jimandmargaret@ntlworld.com

Town councillors say they fear the application may be pushed through and have called for more consultation on the plans.

Francesca Marritt, town mayor, said a lack of consultation had left the community feeling “disenfranchised” and has called a public meeting to discuss the plans.

“I think that we are unable to comment on these plans as they are until we have the full picture, as the information we have is that these could change.

“There has been a lack of consultation and a lack of information. I think that this is not acceptable. I don’t believe that it meets the needs of our community.

"I suggest that we ask for a public meeting with North Lincolnshire Holmes, the cabinet member from North Lincolnshire Council and any other parties.

“It is like they are doing it by the back door and going ahead with it regardless.”