Dozens of objectors have asked Medway Council not to close a children’s home rated outstanding by Ofsted.

At least 65 people, 72% of respondents, voiced their opposition to the proposed closure of Upnor’s Old Vicarage home, which caters for children aged 12 to 18 with behavioural and emotional difficulties, during a recent public consultation.

The local authority's children’s and young people overview and scrutiny committee will meet at Chatham’s Gun Wharf ton Thursday to discuss the results.

The overwhelming opposition to closing the children’s home has come despite council officers advising members to agree to shutting the premises down on February 7.

Around 17 staff face losing their jobs unless they are reassigned to new roles.

One worker, who has not been named, recently told the Medway Messenger plans to shut the home down were “disgraceful”.

But a council report, published to the committee ahead of Thursday's meeting, states it is no longer “financially viable” for the local authority to run and around £100,000 could be saved this financial year.

"Continuing to provide the current service in its current format is not financially viable..." - Medway Council report

The paper states: “Continuing to provide the current service in its current format is not financially viable.

“The current residents are already 18 or approaching 18 and the provision will continue to be underused as young people with similar needs are now placed in a family environment i.e. foster care.”

Five young people currently stay at the accommodation compared to the eight available spaces, they also say.

Opponents to the proposed move, including 22 professional partners, 18 residents, four staff and one parent, told the council they feel the provision fulfils a need for Medway children and have recognised the “good work” carried out by the young people.

Around 18% of respondents sided with the council’s proposal, including four residents, one social worker and one parent, after expressing concern about the amount of money devoted to keeping the provision open.

The council has said it costs close to £720,000 a year - just under £60,000 a month - to run the home and supporters of the move have said the closure is acceptable as long as any savings are reinvested.

Members have previously said they are seeking to trim a further £4.8 million to balance the budget in 2020 following a £7m overspend in 2019/20.

Alternative options have been put forward instead of using the council-run home, including a 12-week assessment placement and provision of several in-house crisis beds.

Ofsted recently graded Medway’s children’s social care as inadequate stating too many vulnerable children wait too long for help. The local authority says it will explore whether resources used to fund the Old Vicarage could be applied to a different service.

The consultation results will be discussed during a public meeting at Chatham’s Gun Wharf on Thursday from 6.30pm.

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