Claremount House: Campaigners' relief as Heckmondwike care home is saved from being shut down

Kirklees Council has revealed that both its dementia care homes that were earmarked for closure have been saved from the axe.

The council had proposed closing Claremont House in Heckmondwike as well as Castle Grange in Huddersfield later this year, with residents transferring to other homes, in the hope of saving more than £1m.

But the council has now pledged to keep the homes open.

Following approaches made to the council by independent sector operators, the council will explore potential opportunities to transfer the homes into the independent sector.

The council will continue to operate the homes during this time, and thereafter if it is not successful in transferring them.

Coun Cathy Scott, leader of Kirklees Council, said: “I want to thank everyone who made their voice heard during the consultation.

"I understand how unsettling the last few months have been for residents of both homes and their families. I hope this announcement gives them some peace of mind.

“Social care is in crisis across the country. Demand for services far outstrips resources and councils are facing increasingly painful decisions.

“We have always argued that social care needs a long-term solution rather than short term, last-minute, funding announcements that make planning very difficult.

"Despite this, we have always said that we would prioritise local people who need our help and support most within a very difficult financial position.

"By continuing to run the two care homes, whilst exploring alternatives to them being operated by the council, we believe we are staying true to that promise.”

A spokesperson from the Save Our Kirklees Dementia Care Homes Campaign said: “The families of both these homes alongside friends and the extended ‘Stop the Closures’ group have campaigned since September 2023 to keep these homes open.

"We have done this because these are our loved one’s homes, homes in which they are well cared for, happy and above all safe. Homes which should be celebrated and championed, not dismissed, and sold off.

“We did this because we knew moving our loved ones would cause detrimental decline and shortening of their lives. We did this because they had lost their own voices because of the terrible illness that dementia is.

"They needed us to speak for them as all loving communities and families would.

“We are relieved that Kirklees has listened to us and after reviewing all the evidence received as part of the consultation has taken the correct decision.

“As families we can now use the precious time we have left with our loved ones as we should have been doing for the past five months."

MP for Batley and Spen Kim Leadbeater said she is “absolutely delighted” that Claremont House Care Home has been saved.

She raised the future of Claremont House in Heckmondwike during a debate in the House of Commons and backed a meeting called by over 40 family members with staff, councillors and officers to look for ways to keep the home in operation.

“It was clear when I met some of the patients’ families that they would have been devastated if their loved ones had been made to leave the home,” she said.