CONCERN has been raised by villagers after it emerged the county council was buying a £490,000 house for vulnerable children.

The large, detached house in Bricklehampton, near Evesham, will house four young people, along with a manager and staff team.

Called 'The Riddings', the house was chosen by Worcestershire County Council due to its "therapeutic setting" in a rural community.

But some residents of Bricklehampton, and the neighbouring village of Elmley Castle, object to the council using the house for this purpose.

Dan Gregory, who lives in Elmley Castle, said: "All the locals are up in arms because they do not know what sort of children are going to be in the house.

"How on earth is it acceptable for a council to spend tax payers' money on a house of this value of which most of would love to own and then use as a type of social home?

"It is a beautiful location, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), a nice, quiet, rural village and one of the council's comments is that the area had been carefully chosen for that reason.

"That doesn't make sense - it is just bizarre to use this type of house in this location."

Last Thursday, January 26, members of the council's Children's Services team attended a public meeting at Bricklehampton, Elmley Castle and Netherton Community Hall.

At the meeting, Jake Shaw, assistant director for provider services, and Steven Orchard, group manager for residential care and commissioning, explained to villagers how the home will operate.

A spokesman for the county council said: "The council is purchasing this property and will be looking to place four vulnerable young people at the home.

"It is our intention to place children who would benefit from being part of a small local community and who would not have an adverse impact on local residents.

"All of the county council's homes are adjudged to be 'Good' or 'Outstanding' by Ofsted and it would be our intention to place a very experienced manager and staff team, who are already employed and well trained within this home.

"This particular house has been selected as a number of homes across the country are in more rural settings and they can provide a more therapeutic setting for children and young people than a children's home in a busy town."