CAMPAIGNERS have come up with a plan to save East Renfrewshire's only council-run care home from a private sell-off.

The council wants to sell Bonnyton House, in Busby, as part of a plan to save £20million over the next three years. Staff say they were warned the home could be closed down if a buyer is not found.

Bonnyton has 28 beds for residential care. It also offers daycare services for around 260 people and costs around £600,000 to run each year.

The council says the home is not cost-effective compared with other local providers with comparable or better ratings.

However, campaigners have come up with an alternative plan, which they say has the potential to cut running costs by around £100,000 a year.

It involves increasing the number of residential beds from 28 to 31 and charging higher fees for daycare services.

Allan Smillie, 65, from Giffnock, whose mother Jessie, 97, is a resident, said: "The management of Bonnyton House has suggested making three of their six respite rooms residential accommodation.

"Bonnyton has the agreement of the Care Inspectorate to have 31 residential rooms but currently only has 28."

"The daycare service is heavily subsidised by the council.

"They offer 260 daycare placements a week which cost £4.20 per person per placement. For that, they get picked up and taken to the home. Other local authorities charge up to £20 for this service."

A spokeswoman for East Renfrewshire Council said: "The discussions we are having around Bonnyton are genuine consultations and we are listening to and meeting one-to-one with local people and community groups to hear their suggestions on alternative solutions and ways Bonnyton could remain part of the council.

"Over the coming weeks we will be working with locals to see if there is a way we could take the transfer of Bonnyton off the table."

caroline.wilson@eveningtimes.co.uk