Gloucestershire County Council has approved plans to close Great Western Court, a care home on Millbrook Street in Gloucester, putting over 40 council jobs at risk. The facility has been empty since March, with council leaders deeming it surplus to current requirements.
Adults’ Support Cabinet Member Kate Usmar (LD, Tewkesbury East) explained that only nine of the 30 beds were occupied in recent years, making it an expensive resource that is under-utilised. NHS commissioners have indicated they will only commission residential care beds if they include nursing care moving forward.
Cllr Usmar emphasized the council’s focus on supporting people to recover at home, citing faster improvements in familiar surroundings. “There have been challenges at Great Western Court, and no one has stayed there since late March,” she said. “It has simply been sitting empty.”
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The council considered alternatives such as temporarily retaining the building or repurposing it but found the facility unsuitable. Cllr Usmar described the building as “an interesting structure, but very hot in summer and cold in winter,” with a layout of pods that no longer fits modern care delivery models.
At the cabinet meeting on April 22, she highlighted that 47 skilled and dedicated staff are currently based at the home. “Our goal is to redeploy these experts and retain their valuable skills within the council,” she said. However, she acknowledged that some redundancies might be unavoidable.
Council Leader Lisa Spivey (LD, South Cerney) noted the difficulty of such decisions, given their impact on people’s lives. Meanwhile, Cabinet Member Joe Harris (LD, Cirencester Park) questioned whether the closure would still proceed if financial concerns were removed. Cllr Usmar confirmed the closure was necessary due to the building’s inadequacy, stating, “It just isn’t suitable and doesn’t fit current care models.”
Deputy Council Leader Colin Hay (LD, All Saints and Oakley) added that selling the site could generate funds for reinvestment. He pointed out the financial burden of keeping the property empty, including security and liability risks. “The council must be agile with its assets and avoid maintaining properties that become liabilities,” he said.
The cabinet unanimously approved the decision to close Great Western Court, marking the end of an era for the care home and a transitional phase for its staff and service users.