LABOUR councillors have branded as unacceptable the deterioration of a Penhill care home for young people with learning disabilities.

It came as Bobbins, a residential facility for six youngsters, was rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission and placed in special measures. Inspectors said staff felt unsafe and parts of the home were in a poor state of disrepair.

Swindon Borough Council, which is working with the home on an improvements plan, is understood to have placed all six residents at the facility.

Following the report, Swindon Labour group social care spokesman Coun Ray Ballman said: “It is unacceptable that this residential care unit has been left to get in to a state where staff and residents are unsafe.

"Swindon Borough Council needs to take urgent action to ensure residents of this care home are safe, with staff having the proper training to support these vulnerable people.

"The council’s safeguarding team has recently undergone a reorganisation so I hope they will be working hard to ensure that incidents like this aren’t happening at Bobbins again or in any other care home to which the council sends care users.”

Swindon Borough Council's cabinet member for adults' health, Brian Ford, revealed borough officers were planning to make unannounced visits to Bobbins until standards improved.

The Conservative councillor said: “Bobbins is a private care home and not one run by Swindon Borough Council.

“At the time we placed residents there, the home had been assessed as Good. It is unfortunate for everyone that standards have slipped but I can assure you that a very detailed action plan is in place to address the concerns raised during the recent inspection.

“We are currently working with the CQC, other commissioners, the care home itself and all service users and their families who are fully engaged in the process.

“Significant progress has already been made on this plan and our own director of adults’ services is personally chairing the review meetings to ensure further improvement is made.

“In addition to the plan, unannounced visits by our staff are going to be undertaken until we can see a return to the fundamental standards of quality and safety we expect for our vulnerable people.”

A Bobbins spokeswoman said last week that "vast improvements" had been made since the CQC visited the home in January.