Union states Kintbury care home saved 'following its campaign'

A TRADE union has issued a press release stating that Notrees Care Home in Kintbury was saved following its campaign.

The carefully worded statement does not specifically attribute the outcome to the public services union, Unison, but does claim: "This is a victory for common sense and shows what can be achieved when staff, local residents and unions work together."

It has prompted a joint response from the area's three Conservative district councillors.

The Unison statement quotes its West Berkshire branch campaign organiser, Callum Harling, who said: "[West Berkshire] Council was wrong to propose closing this essential and much-loved local service.

"Everyone is glad councillors have listened and changed course.

"It means that 18 people with specialist needs still have a home.

"Staff at Notrees are also relieved they don’t have to start searching for new jobs.

"This is a victory for common sense and shows what can be achieved when staff, local residents and unions work together; Unison will continue campaigning to save care homes and fight to protect local services whenever they're threatened with closure."

The district council opened up its closure proposal to public consultation in the summer, leading to the reversal.

After Unison issued the press release, district councillors James Cole, Claire Rowles and Dennis Benneyworth (all Con, Hungerford & Kintbury), responded with their own.

They said, in a joint statement: "We congratulate the management of Notrees Care Home on their efforts to encourage West Berkshire Council to rethink on Notrees.

"We thought that the presentations from [home manager] Zoe Williams that we heard at Kintbury Parish Council and at Hungerford Town Council were brilliant and resulted in some excellent work at Kintbury Parish Council strongly backed by Hungerford, both councils expressing their views fully and in detail to West Berks.

"We were then more than pleased to be able to follow up with a series of discussions with Jo Stewart (Con,Tilehurst Birch Copse), the executive member for adult social care and West Berkshire Council officers.

"The result was a rethink and proved that the idea of consultation is not a rubber stamp on a decision but a real means of obtaining views and acting on them.

"We can also add that Jo Stewart has confirmed that we are now looking at options and opportunities with our officers and will continue to work with the community on our plans."