ANOTHER York care home is facing closure, but council bosses have revealed three new private sector homes are in the pipeline.

In the last two days, residents and staff at Willow House have learnt that a consultation is to start on closing their home.

Final decisions will come in November, but if plans go ahead, the home off Walmgate will close early next year, and all 23 residents and 35 staff will have to move on.

Willow House is the fifth of City of York Council’s nine care homes to face closure, and of the four remaining care bosses say only one - Haxby Hall - may stay open as they overhaul older people’s accommodation in the city.

Martin Farran and Jo Bell, who are overseeing the project at City of York Council, say they think some of Willow House’s residents will be able to move into “extra care” sheltered accommodation, and live independently. Others will go to in private sector care homes in York, or be offered a place at Haxby Hall.

Michael Melvin, who is assistant director for adult social care at the council, said: “We recognise that this consultation process can be an unsettling and upsetting one and we will be working closely with the residents, staff and their families, to make sure they have the support and advice they need.

“Our residents are of paramount importance and the actions we take now will ensure that they – and future generations - will have the best possible quality of life and ensure that we can meet the needs of York’s ageing population.”

Willow House is one of the council’s smaller homes, but a handful of its residents have faced moves already when previous council care homes have closed.

Ms Bell explained that a specialist review manager has been appointed to talk to all the Willow House residents about their needs, and where they could move to.

She said the council had learnt from earlier closures, like Oakhaven and Grove House, when they closed two homes in a short space of time, and would be in regular dialogue with residents and their families.

Willow House’s 35 staff, mainly part-time workers, may be able to move to other jobs elsewhere in the council, she added, and they hope to replicate the process at Grove House or Oakhaven when most moved to new council jobs, with no compulsory redundancies.

The wider project should eventually see private sector nursing and care homes take over in York, and more extra care and sheltered housing places developed.

The council hopes to announce deal for a new care home on the Burnholme school site by Christmas, Mr Farran confirmed. Early talks are going on about a similar scheme for Lowfield in Acomb and a private provider has made a “serious expression of interest” on a third site, he added.

Once Willow House closes, the site will be sold off to private developers and the money poured into the care homes project. Bosses decided to look at closing it next in part because the site is likely to bring in a substantial sum, and help fund improvements and developments elsewhere.

On Thursday senior councillors are expected to approve the sale of the old Grove House care home for £1.6 million; and the Oliver House site in Bishophill has already made £1.8 million.

Willow House also hosts day drop-in services for people with leaning disabilities in a self contained space. These service users will be consulted separately on proposed changes at Willow House, a council spokesman said.