Fresh warning notices for care home after decade of trouble

Care home taken out of special measures despite dangerous issues continuing

Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.

In 2017, residents were moved out of a care home as part of an ‘urgent decision’ to keep them safe.

That care home then reopened and, in 2020, it was told improvement was required. By 2025, it was placed in special measures.

Now inspected again, and under new management, we’ve looked into what inspectors found when they visited this time around.

Before you proceed, a little warning. The snippet at the top of the briefing section features an individual issuing a phrase that ranks among the worst things we have ever published.

We would typically not publish something like that, but the apparent decision by Lancashire Constabulary to take no action necessitates it.

Blackpool briefing

🚔 A peaceful pro-trans march took place on Wednesday in Blackpool, but were met with a counter protest led by far-right figure Ryan Ferguson.

Footage, taken from multiple vantage points, saw the transgender flag stepped on by Ferguson who was cheered on by a handful of counter protestors.

A 42-year-old counter protestor (not Ferguson) was arrested on suspicion of breaching a restraining order but has since been released without further action.

Reports of transphobic language being used were made to Lancashire Constabulary but no action has been taken.

Ferguson was recorded as saying: “A National Socialist government would not have allowed all this, And that is why that man, I won’t mention his name, that man many years ago was right. Because he’d have slaughtered all these and that’s what they need, they need slaughtering.”

---

🌹 Family, friends and Blackpool residents have paid respects to the late Cllr Ivan Taylor whose funeral was held on Friday.

The veteran Labour man, confirmed as Britain’s longest serving councillor, died early last month at the age of 86.

For 20 years, Ivan served alongside his wife Sylvia. Cllr Sylvia Taylor represented Claremont ward and was also Mayor of Blackpool in 2012-13. She died in 2021, aged 82.

Ivan’s funeral service was held at Blackpool’s Salvation Army Citadel, where a moving eulogy was given by his grandson Luke and the service was officiated by Major Richard Thompson, the Corps Officer.

Grandson Luke, who was particularly close to Ivan, invited those who wished to pay their respects at the services.

Blackpool Council has paid its respects to the councillor, who served on the council for six decades, most of it in the Claremont ward in North Shore.

And Blackpool South MP Chris Webb described as a man who “dedicated six decades of his life to serving the people of Blackpool.”

---

🎭 Blackpool is in with a brilliant chance of of being named the UK City of Culture 2029, says council leader Cllr Lynn Williams.

Cllr Williams was speaking just days before Blackpool’s bid for the accolade is sent off on Monday.

The council leader was in bullish mood about the resort’s chances, insisting that the town’s cultural significance is massive and should be celebrated.

Blackpool is one of nine places across the UK listed by the government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport to be in the running for the prestigious accolade. Rivals include Middlesbrough, Wrexham and Ipswich.

Despite the name, it is not just for cities.

If successful, Blackpool would receive £10m from the government towards a year-long celebration of arts and culture, to be enjoyed by local people as well as increasing the tourism economy.

---

Fresh warning notices for care home after decade of trouble

Abode in Poulton-le-Fylde

By Michael Holmes

A troubled care home has been taken out of special measures - despite inspectors uncovering a string of dangerous issues.

Abode, in Moorland Road, Poulton, has been handed two fresh warning notices by the health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) a year after being given three and being found in breach of six regulations.

Bosses there continued to breach two regulations linked to safe care and treatment and good governance, and one in respect of dignity and respect, documents show.

A garden gate - used as an escape in case of a fire - had no key for the lock, while “sharp objects” were left in the garden and paint was left in a smoking area, “posing a fire risk”.

A broken and loose dead electrical wire was trapped in a fire door, leaving the door without an alarm and people at risk of getting in or out of the building unnoticed.

Not all toilets had privacy locks, while some residents said it was not up to them when they got up or went to bed. Others said they were not always given a choice when it came to food or activities.

One said: “Having my meals made for me is lovely but the food is not that good. If you don’t want the meal available, soup is not always a good alternative at lunchtime because it’s another soup at night.”

Another added: “The food is very ordinary and choice is poor. It’s always the same if you don’t want the set meals: eggs some way or a toastie.”