Green Park House
Another injustice has been visited upon our town from Barnsley council. A damning report came out about poor care for the elderly in this country but we have a good old people's home in Penistone that is being closed down to save money. It is well-regarded, has good staff and is an asset to our town. Yet it has reduced its intake over the past few years ready for close-down. It is clear that this move was planned a long time ago but the spin was to make it look as though a public consultation would decide the issue. Makes it look democratic.
It has now been announced that four homes in the Barnsley area will close, including ours. (Oct '07). Staff at Green Park House found this out from reading the newspaper rather than being told officially.
Local MP Mick Clapham says that his views on the close-down were ignored (Chronicle 19/10/07) and Barnsley Mayor Len Picken said that the decision was taken before needs assessments were made. He is vice-chairman of 'Health and Adults Services'. Local councillor Brenda Hinchliffe said "... These people have lived here all their lives and want to spend their last days among friends..."
Barnsley Chronicle reported Derek Gardiner (Barnsley council Adult Services) as saying: "We are not just steamrollering through, I can 100 percent assure you that a decision has not already been made." (Front page, 14/9/07 Penistone edition). Doesn't sound much like it, does it? A hundred percent of nothing still equals nothing.
In another Chronicle article (Front page 12/10/07 Penistone edition), it said that Penistone will be left without a residential home and that day care will be 'relocated' (in the writer's quotes). Penistone Mayor Joe Unsworth is reported as saying that the general consensus was that the consultation was 'window dressing' for a decision already taken. That's how it smells to most people. This is at a time when more people are moving into the area and people are living longer.
Given Penistone's location, it is abhorrent to place old people out of the area, away from friends and family, especially when there is a lot of Council Tax money coming in from all the new houses, which could improve what we already have. Council tax income from Penistone has increased in recent years with relentless housing development and the additional incomers will grow older too. In other words, the demand for elderly care will not only increase but is likely to accelerate. The quoted £350,000 to bring Green Park House up to standard is not even big money. The barmy Barnsley 'Halo' light will cost more than that, what with consultants and experts, etc.
We are not talking about no-hope druggies, illegal immigrants or other freeloaders but parents and grandparents; people who have long been part of the community, who have lived through World War II (who might well have served their country) and who have contributed taxes throughout their lives. They might have had to forfeit homes to pay for care. If anyone deserves something back these old people do. But all this counts for nothing when accountants pull the levers and Barnsley has a council that is best suited to a banana republic. Bob Dylan sang: "Money doesn't talk - It swears".
The Area Forum for Central, Kingstone and Old Town discovered that council residential homes stopped accepting new residents six years ago (Chronicle 14/9/07). Councillor Birkinshaw pressed the same unashamed Derek Gardiner to explain what was already decided and what was still open to discussion. Gardiner claimed that nothing had been decided and that the current consultation exercise was genuine. The usual 'fait accompli' trick was pulled and nobody remembers being asked about it.
£15m of public money will be found to regenerate Worsborough over the next decade and £6.5million of this is for social housing. I don't object to that but it shows how money can be found when there is a case for it. There is also a strong case for providing facilities for the elderly. They have paid their whack and deserve better.
