MP calls for care homes probe
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant could ask the Local Government Ombudsmen to investigate Staffordshire County Council over its plan to close care homes. Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant could ask the Local Government Ombudsmen to investigate Staffordshire County Council over its plan to close care homes. The Tory MP says he has been told of differences in evidence given to a High Court judge, who last week rejected calls for a judicial review, and what the council has said to care homes. Mr Fabricant says he is getting transcripts of what the council said in court and will decide whether to involve the ombudsmen in coming days. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
The Tory MP says he has been told of differences in evidence given to a High Court judge, who last week rejected calls for a judicial review, and what the council has said to care homes.
Mr Fabricant says he is getting transcripts of what the council said in court and will decide whether to involve the ombudsmen in coming days.
This is the latest move in a series of attacks on the county council in a bid to halt its proposed closures of care homes.
On Friday, campaigning group Rage – Residents Action Group for the Elderly – failed to get a judicial review of the county council's scheme after the council argued its decisions had been strategic, political and budgetary and no final decision had been taken.
Mr Fabricant said: "I was very concerned to hear about evidence that was apparently given to the judge by the county council."
National director of Rage, David Atkins, who was in court, said he felt the evidence presented was "disingenuous" to the truth.
Steven Jenkins, spokesman for the county council said: "In the strongest terms possible we reject any suggestion whatsoever that we have misrepresented ourselves following the High Court ruling in our favour last week."
