A REPORT released by City of York Council has revealed further details about a major shake-up of elderly persons’ homes in York which will see all nine closed down and replaced by three new facilities.

Council officers are recommending the closure of Oliver House, in Bishophill, and Fordlands, in Fulford, by the end of March as the first stage of the plans for super care homes to will be built on the sites of existing homes at Fordlands and Haxby Hall and a new site at Lowfields.

A review of elderly person’s homes due to be discussed by the cabinet on January 10, states that council officers have met all 28 of the residents of Fordlands and Oliver House and their families, of which four families did not agree with the proposals, feeling that they were financially driven and being done in haste.

All, apart from “one or two” residents at Fordlands and Oliver House have indicated they want to move to other council care homes and are likely to receive their first preference as well as requests for friendship groups to stay together, should the proposals be given the go-ahead.

Meanwhile, the council said there will be no compulsory redundancies among the 48 members of staff working at Oliver House and Fordlands.

There remains a possibility the new homes may be privately run, the council said. Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, cabinet member for health, housing and adult social service, said the council was “looking at all options” but said Fordlands was most likely to continue to be run by the authority.

Coun Simpson Laing said: “We recognise that we are faced with tough decisions that have a significant impact on people’s lives and we do not take them lightly. However, we remain committed to ensuring that we can provide high- quality residential care that meets the changing needs of older people in the future.”

Under the council plans Oliver House and Fordlands will close in April 2012, with Lowfield Village and New Fordlands opening in April 2014.

Haxby Hall, Oakhaven, Windsor House, Morrell House and Willow will also close in April 2014.

A year later, New Haxby Hall will open and Grove House and Woolnough will close.

All staff at Oliver House and Fordlands have been offered new positions and early retirement has also been considered for some. The “handful of staff” not allocated the nursing home of their choice will be considered for further vacancies in the future, the council said.

The report states that the majority of residents of the two homes and their familes agreed with the proposals and the need to update facilities but “several people expressed understandable disappointment at their home being one of the first two to close”.

Market testing will be carried out to assess the facilities needed for the Lowfields site.