Bid to keep old folks' home open

Green Park House is one of four Barnsley Council-run homes and a day care centre which have been earmarked for closure to save money.

Furious staff from Green Park House have already lobbied councillors insisting closing the home and forcing residents and future service users into private sector homes miles away would cause a great deal of distress.

Now more than 2,200 locals have signed a petition calling on Barnsley Council to save the Penistone home. Green Park House, Greenside House in Staincross, Highfield Grange in Wombwell and Oakwood at Royston are all recommended for closure.

Barnsley Council and the Primary Care Trust say it is 116 a week cheaper for a pensioner to be kept in a privately-run home than a council home and claims it would cost a further 2million to bring the four council homes up to required standards.

But Penistone residents argue there is not a private home anywhere near Penistone and because of its physical location the local OAPs' home should be retained.

One local woman said her 77-year-old father had been moved from Penistone to a home in Stocksbridge and his condition had deteriorated because of being moved.

She said: "If you shut Green Park House all the old folk are going to be the same when they are moved."

Penistone Town Councillor Anne Rusby added: "No one wants to go into care but sometimes you have to. But these people at Green Park House were born in Penistone and they want to die in Penistone."