An online e-petition calling for a reversal of the decision to close a Wiltshire care facility now has upwards of 20,000 signatures.

"Stop the closure of HFT facilty at Furlong Close, Rowde" was launched in November.

Families and friends of residents at the care facility had called open Hft, who run the facility, as well as Wiltshire Council to put a halt to plans to shut the facility.

The proposed closure date of July 2021 was postponed by Hft, but a new closure date is currently unknown.

Families hope that reaching 25,000 signatures, the matter can be debated more fully.

Throughout the debate on the future of Furlong Close, Hft have promised they are "committed to communicating with the relevant parties and individuals concerned directly as soon as we are able to.”

The e-petition can be found here

The Gazette also asked Wiltshire Council if any funding would go towards finding a new provider to keep the facility open.

The question was not directly answered.

Cllr Pauline Church, Wiltshire Council, Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement said, “The Cabinet is proposing that the Council apply the full 3% Adult Social Care precept 2021/22 as a mechanism to fund the growth in demand for Adult Social Care. If it elects to do so this would raise £8.5m. This would be used entirely for Adult Social Care.

“The Cabinet is also proposing significant investment in Adult Social Care 2021/22, amounting to £8.6m, and which would be almost entirely financed by the precept. There are four broad areas of investment, and these are;

“Rising demand from a growing elderly population, a growing number of children with complex disabilities surviving into adulthood and the increased complexity of needs of people who require support is estimated to cost £3.9m.

“A similar amount is expected to be the cost of fee increases for providers, who each year face rising costs, particularly around staff wages as the National Living Wage increases. There are also some internal costs, with lower paid council staff due a pay increase which will cost £0.4m and service pressures that need to be met also costing £0.4m.

“The additional investment is sufficient to ensure that individuals with support needs continue to have those needs met, as will any new people who require support.”