A MAN fears his 97-year-old mother-in-law may be forced out of her care home in the wake of council cuts.

Arthur Martin is concerned that the county council run Butterpark Care Home, in Ivybridge, could end up closing down as a result of a major review of Devon care homes services.

And Mr Martin is worried about the future of care home places for the elderly in the Ivybridge area if the county council run homes end up disappearing. Mr Martin pointed out that his mother-in-law Mrs Brown had been living at the Butterpark home for just over two years.

He said: 'We've had no answer from Devon County Council whether it will be closed, but two Devon homes have recently been closed and Butterpark has been run down from 30 residents to around 18.

'My mother-in-law is down there and at this time of her life moving to another home is unfair.

'Devon County Council is confident everyone will get a place if the care home closes down but they can't guarantee how far away it will be.

'Many of the residents' family are in the later years so it doesn't make visiting easy if they are moved far away.'

The county council has said it wants to save money by providing care home places through the private sector rather than running its own homes. It was pointed out that county council run homes account for just 15 per cent – approximately 337 placements – but with many of its 20 homes under-occupied and in need of considerable redesign to support changing needs in future, the council's costs to provide care is far higher than the equivalent in the private sector.

According to the county it costs an average of £433 to fund a care place in a private home compared to £970 a week at a council home.

A spokesman said: 'Despite considerable efforts to drive down costs, the council is now proposing to join the majority of councils in ceasing their provision of residential care and instead purchasing care in the private sector; becoming the commissioner of care, rather than the provider.'

Councillor Stuart Barker, the council's cabinet member responsible for adult social care, said:

'This is not about removing a service. We're not changing eligibility, so those who are entitled to residential care will continue to receive it. This is about where people receive that service in future.

'People's comments will help us decide how we take this forward.

If we decide to cease providing residential care ourselves and instead to use the private sector, any change would have to be made over a period of time, on case by case basis that is sensitive to people's needs.'

Mr Martin pointed out that one of his concerns was the impact of any closures on future generations of elderly people.

He said: 'My main thought is for future generations, I may even need somewhere in 10 years time and I always thought Butterpark would be available.'