Campaigners urging the council to keep Hollins View open and providing respite care have hit back at a senior council member who accused them of causing anxiety in the town.

In an exclusive interview with The Express last week Coun Janet Clowes, the council’s portfolio holder for care and health in the community, said that respite care will be available in Macclesfield for people that need it in the town.

She also accused campaigners of causing ‘anxiety’ by telling people that services will be cut.

But Morven Sowerbutt, a former non-executive director and vice chair of the South Cheshire health authority and one of the campaign group’s leaders, says those accusations are unjust.

In a statement put together with the rest of the group, Morven, of Buxton Old Road, Macclesfield, said: “we were shocked to read Coun Clowes’ comments, inferring that we are a politically motivated group. She accuses the group of having created anxiety amongst carers and promoting misinformation at the expense of the peace of mind of residents.

“We firmly dispute this accusation. On the contrary we feel it is the council that has created the anxiety by announcing its decision to cease to provide in-house care.”

The group, which includes Macclesfield councillors, retired social workers, carers and users of Hollins View, have also now launched a website at www.hoho2014.wordpress.com.

On it people can submit their views on the campaign, and there is a letter available for people to download and send to Macclesfield MP David Rutley, objecting to Hollins View’s potential closure.

The campaigners have also met with Age UK to discuss the proposals to move all respite care to the independent sector, which means that it will be provided privately and through voluntary services. That means that respite care will no longer be offered at the home, on Clarke Terrace, Macclesfield. And there are fears in the community that it could close altogether.

In their response the group also issue a number of questions for Cloun Clowes to answer, including why the council have decided to move respite care to the independent sector, whether the council will keep the respite service there if that is what public opinion wants, and if the service stops at Hollins View where people will go to get respite care and how far will they and their families have to travel.

Morven added: “These are questions that still have not been answered, which of course is going to worry people. It’s about time we heard answers. The group will also be writing to the CCG in Cheshire East to see whether they have been consulted on the proposals and whether the council has done a risk assessment about what will happen if respite moves to the independent sector.”

You can download a copy of the letter to send to David Rutley MP or to your local councillor objecting to the proposals below.

You can also show your support for the campaign by downloading a ‘Hands Off Hollins View’ poster to display.

Download the letter to David Rutley here.

Download the letter to your councillor here.

Download the Hands Off Hollins View campaign poster here.