A CONSULTATION over controversial plans to end residential care at a Council-owned care home will end on Friday, January 31, 2014. Consultation with residents of Sunnybank in Narberth, their families, staff and other interested parties is currently under way.
The Council has claimed that the home is too costly to run and that it would cost £2.6m to improve facilities there.
When the matter was discussed by the Council’s Older Persons’, Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee in November local councillor Wynne Evans expressed his concern with regard to the future of Sunnybank. He told committee members that Sunnybank was a great asset to the town and surrounding area and referred to the well-being of the people who resided at Sunnybank as well as the effect on the staff who cared for the residents. Cllr Evans expressed the hope that the consultation would determine that the necessary modernisation of the building would be undertaken, so that the home could remain open, and this would attract further residents thereby ensuring that the facility would be available for future years.
Committee members questioned head of Adult Services Pam Marsden about the lack of investment in Sunnybank, bearing in mind what the Cabinet member with responsibility for the Adult Services, former Labour member Simon Hancock, told them about the extent of remedial works required to the home.
Ms Marsden told the committee that as she was relatively new in post she would not be able to comment as to why the lack of investment at the home however it would be hard to find the level of investment required with the current financial pressures. The consultation began last November and will run until 12 noon on 31st January.
Owned and managed by Pembrokeshire County Council, Sunnybank is one of two residential care homes for frail, older people in the county.
There is still time to give your views. You can complete the questionnaire at www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/haveyoursay or email [email protected] or telephone 01437 776000.
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