At a meeting of the Full Council at Luton Town Hall on Tuesday (2nd November) Liberal Democrat leader, David Franks, asked a series of questions seeking an assurance that if The Mount closure was confirmed, the home would not close so long so long as it provided a home for permanent residents. The Executive member responsible for the care of older residents, Labour Councillor Mehmood Hussain, refused to give any undertaking.

“We believe when someone moves into a Council run residential home for the elderly they probably expect that they will stay in the same home, with the same neighbours and the same caring staff until the end of their days”, said David Franks.

“They are entitled to make that assumption and the expectation should be honoured. Instead Councillor Mehmood Hussain will only say he will minimise the impact on residents but that he cannot justify continuing with an unsuitable building. Even though he insists it hasn’t, that sounds to me as though the decision has already been made.”

“In fact from the way he answered my questions it looked as if the closure was definitely going to go ahead in which case the so called consultation exercise must be a farce.”