Pleas from the elderly residents, their families, 1,040 petitioners, staff and Union representatives are all being ignored.

“By forcing permanent residents of Sherd Lodge to move just to save a few pounds the Council is showing an outrageous disregard for their health and wellbeing.”

– Liberal Democrat, Qurban Hussain.

The Labour Executive of Luton Council has confirmed that Sherd Lodge old peoples’ home will close in March. The home is mainly used for respite care but has five permanent residents. When the previous Liberal Democrat administration decided in 2006 that the home would have to close eventually, they made it clear the home would not close whilst it was still home to permanent residents. Now, having already built a saving of £279,000 into their budget, the Labour Council is to close the home in March next year regardless of how many permanent residents are still living there.

Liberal Democrat Luton South Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Qurban Hussain comments:

“This is not about caring for frail elderly people, it’s about saving money. These Sherd Lodge residents are very frail elderly people and one is 103 years old. They will all suffer terrible trauma when they have to move. By forcing them out just to save a few pounds the Council is showing an outrageous disregard for their health and wellbeing.”

“When someone goes into a Council run elderly persons’ residential home they, and their families, quite rightly expect that they will stay in the same home, with the same neighbours and caring staff, until the end of their lives. This expectation should be respected.”

“Worse news is on the way as we now strongly suspect that the Labour Council has already started work on a plan to close another Council run elderly care facility.”