ILKLEY'S MP John Grogan will visit a local care home to ensure the needs of residents are at the top of the agenda as its closure moves ahead.

Hollycroft Care Home in Hebers Ghyll Drive, Ilkley, is home to 15 elderly people, including a 100-year-old. Four Seasons Health Care announced earlier this month they planned to close the home as it was operating at a loss. Four Seasons will return the leasehold premises to the landlord.

The move has caused anger amongst staff who say moving the vulnerable residents is not in their best interests. However, Four Seasons Health Care maintains that the wellbeing of those living in the home is their top priority and they are working closely with Bradford Council's social services team to ensure that residents and their families are supported to find suitable alternative placements.

Mr Grogan will visit the home on Friday. He said: "I want to make sure that the interests of all the residents are being put at the very top of everybody's agenda. In addition the loyal staff at the home need to be assisted.

"Four Seasons are the biggest care home provider in the country and they have a big responsibility to do the right thing by people some of whom have lived in Hollycroft for a long period of time. The company is laden with debt and was also criticised in 2014 by the Care Quality Commission for the standards at the home at that time. They now need to step up to the mark. I am advised that the leaseholder of the building has just put up the rent they pay and I want to find out the details of that."

Mr Grogan added: "There are ten care homes in Ilkley and over 100 in Bradford district. I fear that because the Government has cut and cut the amount of money given in grants to local councils to fund social care this may not be the only home under threat.

"I have spoken to Bradford Council who tell me that are reviewing all homes in the district for their level of financial risk and are looking at the supply of places as a whole."

Many of the home's residents are primarily funded by Bradford Council and social services are liaising with the families to find suitable, alternative accommodation. The son of one of the home's residents said he now faced the real prospect of having to top up his mother's care homes fees from his own pension.

A spokesman for Four Seasons Health Care told the Ilkley Gazette that contrary to comments made by staff that the home would close within 30 days, there was no deadline set. He added the process usually takes a period of around three months.