STAFF carrying placards joined a councillor and a union official to protest at the closure of a Kent care home.

The staff at Shaws Wood respite centre in Strood have accused Medway council of adopting an “underhand” approach to the shut-down of the centre.

They fear the council wants to wash its hands of such centres in favour of handing them over to private businesses. The claims have been denied by the council.

Dozens of staff face an uncertain Christmas and New Year because, they claim, Medway Council is steam-rollering its plans to empty the home and close it down as a council-run centre. The Shaws Wood residents have been transferred to other homes.

Dementia sufferers and staff from privately-run Churchlands care home, in Chatham, will be moved to the Shaws Wood site in Mill Road, Strood, while their premises are renovated.

The 62 members of staff at Shaws Wood, some of whom staged their protest on Friday morning, say they are now uncertain about their future.

Local branch secretary of Unison Brian Kelly said: “We will continue to fight as we have done previously until we get what we want.

“The way the council has gone through with this is extremely underhand and makes a mockery of democracy. They can just see the potential for savings and raking in money, but they fail to see that Shaws Wood is a valuable resource to this area.”

Staff and local councillor Teresa Murray said since the council announced its intention to close Shaws Wood it has wasted no time preparing it for the privately-run Churchlands residents and staff.

Cllr Murray said: “This is an absolutely scandalous attack on a vital council service for older people. Staff and residents have been through a year of worry while the centre has slowly been run down, and now the last people are being turfed out this weekend.

“The plan to mothball Shaws Wood until it becomes too expensive to run, and then allow a private company to take it over speaks for itself. They are instigating privatisation through the back door.

“This is all happening against a backdrop of increasing numbers of people needing care, and falling numbers of beds available – so why close Shaws Wood.”

A spokesman for Medway Council said: “This is part of a wider plan to modernise older people’s services in Medway. There are two other major developments planned in Palmerston Road Chatham, and Woodlands Road Gillingham and when completed this will provide three new state-of-the-art facilities with en-suite rooms for all residents and top quality care services for rehabilitation and also for people with dementia.

“With those plans in mind, we are keen to retain the services of our care and staff.

“The director and senior managers met all the staff at Shaw’s Wood last week and reassured them there are posts available to offer every member of staff the opportunity for redeployment within the council’s in house services.

“Every member of staff has been offered an individual meeting with their manager and staff from personnel to resolve their personal circumstances, but on advice from their trade union, most staff have yet to take up the offer of discussions about redeployment.

“It remains the council’s firm intention to redevelop the site as planned in due course, and Cabinet will receive a report in the new year on the progress towards completing the business case for the government that will need approval before the actual building works can begin.”