Council decision over care homes' future delayed
GoogleA council's decision over the future of two closure-threatened care homes has been pushed back.
Westmorland and Furness Council has been considering shutting Windermere's Applethwaite Green Care Home and Grisedale Croft Care Home in Alston and was due to decide the two sites' futures on 27 October.
It previously said the facilities faced "significant challenges" including falling occupancy rates and the buildings themselves no longer meeting modern standards.
The authority has now delayed the date it was due to decide the care homes' fates so more time can be given to the decision.
More than 500 comments and submissions were submitted to the council as part of a 14-week consultation over the potential closure of the care homes.
Liberal Democrat councillor Patricia Bell said the authority's decision over the sites had been delayed to allow councillors to "conscientiously consider all the evidence in detail".
"There is a lot of extensive and detailed information that we need time to consider," she said.
"Ranging from building surveys, financial modelling, information about alternative care options and choices, as well as all the consultation feedback from residents, families, community members which runs to hundreds of pages."
It is unclear when the decision over the care homes' futures will now be decided.
