RELATIVES and union members turned out to protest against the closure of a Westcliff care home on Thursday.

Members of Unison, which represents some of the care home staff, were joined by relatives armed with placards at Southend’s civic centre.

Councillors were due to debate the plan to close Priory House, which the council claims needs £1million of repairs, and redevelop Delaware House, in Shoebury, after opposition councillors tabled a motion calling for the process to be halted.

Peter Virgo, 61, of Gunners Rise, Shoebury, whose 86-year old mother Beryl stays at Priory House, said: “People are genuinely concerned that as it stands, unless we can persuade the councillors otherwise, these homes will be closed and lost.”

Lynda Wilkinson, 68, of Bideford Close, whose mother Betty Layzell, 97, is in Priory House with dementia, said: “I think the home is wonderful.

“It should be held up as an example to others, not closed.

“It seems like the decision has already been made though.”

Independent councillors have called for the consultation, which is due to run until September 1, to be halted and started again.

They claim the questionnaire is confusing, the restriction of only one response per e-mail address makes it difficult for households that share one address and they dispute estimates of the cost of repairs.

Lesley Salter, councillor for adult social care, said: “I really do feel the questionnaire is straightforward and unambiguous.

"The single e-mail submission policy is in line with other local authority consultations, and our desire to publish our independently-sourced repair figures are about as honest and open as you can possibly get.”

Unison has called a meeting at the Civic Centre at 7pm next Tuesday, to launch a campaign to save both care homes.

The independent group's motion was passed at the meeting, but it doesn't bind the council to halt the consultation and it will continue as planned.