CAMPAIGNERS have hit out at Haringey Council after a decision to close care homes was confirmed.

The authority will plough ahead with plans to shut three residential homes, Broadwater Lodge, The Red House and Cranwood, for elderly people and one, Whitehall Street, for children with profound learning disabilities.

The Labour administration was given the chance to rethink its controversial policy on Thursday last week, after it was asked to take another look by a scrutiny committee, but opted not to change its course.

Sue Hessel, vulnerable groups officer for Haringey Federation of Residents' Associations, said: “Last Thursday's heartless decision is a tragedy for defenceless profoundly disabled residents, many of whom cannot even speak.

“I pay tribute to the people – many of whom are exhausted carers themselves – who have been standing up for these frail folk against the vast machinery of Haringey Council.

“I cannot believe that the council will really save themselves much money on this – in the short term because they've still got to find the money to pay some other residential home to take them and in the long term because they are disposing of their capital assets.

“They will be over a barrel – they will find it will be very difficult to find homes for such profoundly disabled people, and very expensive.”

She added: “These poor souls will now lose their homes – they are paying the ultimate price.”

Criticism of the council’s approach is not limited to whether the scheme will save money, lawyers have questioned whether the consultation at the White Hall Street Home met legal requirements.

Celia Webster, 45, leads a Christian service for the elderly residents at Cranwood care home with local children every Sunday and was at the consultation exercise.

She will now have to look at splitting the group up and visiting the residents individually wherever they end up.

She said: “I was so bitterly disappointed. I was gutted that they went ahead with it. At Cranwood I was so shocked.

“It was meant to be a consultation but people couldn’t hear what was being said. I just think the whole process has been very unkind.

“What it’s left people with is no confidence.”