Councillor Sinead Mooney, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, heard a petition to prevent the closure of Jutland Place care home in Egham, Surrey. The meeting heard that the current care provider, Mencap, had decided to stop providing care at the home and that alternative accommodation had been found for four of the six residents.

Petition to save Jutland Place Care Home

Councillor Mooney heard from Councillor Robert Evans, who presented a petition signed by 339 people to keep Jutland Place care home open. The petition requested that the council either continue to provide care for residents at the home, or find a third party to take over from 9 June 2024.

Councillor Evans said that Surrey County Council

has not only failed to prevent the residents from losing their home of over 30 years, it now also seems that Surrey is trying to distance itself from its own decisions.

He went on to say that residents had been offered alternative accommodation that was unsuitable, too far away, or did not have planning permission.

Councillor Mooney thanked Councillor Evans for raising the petition. She explained that the home is owned by Runnymede Borough Council, and the care is provided by Mencap. Anna Waterman, Head of Commissioning for Disabilities, told the meeting that Mencap had been unable to find a care provider to take over the service. She said that Mencap had told the council that

despite many referrals for individuals that Surrey County Council have made to occupy vacancies at the property, none of these vacancies were taken up.

Ms Waterman also told the meeting that of the home's six residents, four had now found suitable alternative accommodation, and a fifth was considering moving to the same accommodation.

John Millerstone, Director of Integrated Commissioning, told the meeting that Surrey County Council was committed to providing more supported independent living accommodation. He said

since 2019, through the council’s accommodation care and support strategy, we set out very clear ambitions over the decade through to 2030, both around extra care, largely focused on older people to deliver 725 units of accommodation, affordable accommodation by the end of the decade, focusing on people with learning disability and autism, similar ambition there to increase the quantity of supported independent living available to people that promotes independence, encourages people to live good and active lives in their community.

Councillor Mooney said that she would continue to monitor the situation.