Around 50 people gathered in the pouring rain outside County Hall this morning to protest against KCC’s plans to shut four care homes across the county.

Members of the Unite The Union and Unison, whose jobs are threatened, were joined by relatives of the care-home residents, volunteers, and by Momentum, a Labour-leaning group opposed to austerity cuts.

The Dorothy Lucy Centre, in Northumberland Road, Maidstone, is one of four homes facing closure.

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Although it currently has only one permanent resident, it has 28 beds - some of which are used for respite care - and also hosts a day-centre that is a life-line for carers of dementia sufferers.

The other homes at risk are the Kiln Court Care Home, Faversham, the Wayfarers Home in Sandwich and Blackburn Lodge in Sheerness.

Video: Four care homes could close

Delia Hazrati, the secretary of Unite For Community, said: "If these homes go, jobs will be lost and families will be devastated."

She said KCC had taken no account of the effect closure would have on bed-blocking in local hospitals.

KCC said demand had moved in favour of providing more sheltered accommodation and nursing homes, rather than care homes.

If all four homes close, 223 jobs will be lost including 75 at the Dorothy Lucy.

Cllr Graham Gibbens (Con), the KCC cabinet member for social care, said none of the buildings could be adapted to meet modern-day standards.

He said: “These four homes were built in the 1980s and are no longer fit for purpose.”

John Foggin disagreed. The 73-year-old from Senacre visits the Dorothy Lucy day centre twice a week. He said: I meet friends; it keeps my brain active. Without it, I will be lost."

The head of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Glen Douglas, has raised concerns that the loss of the Dorothy Lucy Centre would worsen the problem of bed-blocking in hospitals - where patients are medically fit for discharge, but not capable of looking after themselves at home.

Dan Wilkinson of Momentum said: “The closure of the Dorothy Lucy Centre in Maidstone, as well as the three sister care homes run by KCC, would cause an enormous amount of disruption to the lives of people already suffering the effects of dementia and other conditions associated with old age.

“The Conservative-controlled council claims it will make alternative arrangements to provide for the care of these vulnerable people, but as yet has been extremely reticent in providing details of these arrangements - leaving many service users and their families in limbo.

“The Dorothy Lucy Centre is a lifeline, both physically and socially, for many elderly people - and the threat of closure on chiefly financial grounds is emblematic of the Tories’ ideological obsession with destroying public services.”

Lib Dem County Councillor Brian Clark said: "The Dorothy Lucy centre falls within my division. I have asked the cabinet member to spell out what replacement facilities will be available to its users. He has not been able to give me an answer."

A final decision on the closures is due to be taken in January.

*Momentum and the unions have organised a public meeting about the cuts to be held at 7pm on Thursday, November 26, at Sharland Hall, St. Faith’s Church, St Faith’s Street, Maidstone. All welcome.