Council bosses are refusing to answer questions on how respite care services would be run if Hollins View is closed.

The Express this week publishes the 10 big questions you want answered after council leaders voted to close the Macclesfield care centre.

The council’s opposition Labour group have called in the decision meaning plans to close the Clarke Terrace Road care centre at the end of the year are to be reviewed.

Now council bosses say they cannot answer ‘detailed questions’ about the future provision of residential respite care until the decision is scrutinised by a council committee.

Council leaders want to pay for care through the independent sector, including private care homes. Campaigners are fighting the plans, with serious concerns about how people will access care if the home closes.

Morven Sowerbutts, from the Hands off Hollins View campaign group, said: “There are lots of unanswered questions. It’s all very well saying respite care will be provided elsewhere, but we want to know where and how much will families have to pay. It’s our experience that there just are not the beds.”

The Express’s list of questions were submitted to the council on July 13 but the authority has refused to give responses.

The council’s decision was due to be signed off by full Council last Thursday, before it was called in by the Labour group.

A Cheshire East spokesman confirmed the authority has now accepted the call-in which will be examined by the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Friday, August 7.

A council spokesman said: “Until outstanding matters are considered by overview and scrutiny, the Council is not able to answer detailed questions about the provision of residential carer respite in the Borough over and above those that we have already addressed in media statements and reports to Cabinet.”

The ten questions we put to the council about Hollins View:

  • Which care homes in Macclesfield can people go to for respite care if Hollins View closes?

  • How many respite care beds are available at these homes? Please tell us how many beds there are at Hollins View.

  • How much does respite care cost at these homes? In comparison, what does it cost the council to run respite beds at Hollins View?

  • How much will Cheshire East pay and how much will people have to pay to top up the fees?

  • How far will people have to travel to get respite care?

  • What plans has the council got in place at present? Does it have any agreements with care homes?

  • How will the council guarantee the standard of care?

  • How has the council communicated the proposals with patients and carers?

  • What happens if a person cannot find respite care in an alternative care home? Does the council guarantee finding care for that person?

  • What are the other alternative care providers in the ‘independent sector’ which the council refers to? Please name them in Macclesfield.