Isle of Wight care homes transfer was ‘enterprising’

An independent investigation has largely vindicated Isle of
Wight Council over the transfer of its residential care homes to a
Somerset-based company.

The transfer to Islecare 97 has come under fire from private
care home-owners who claimed the arrangement amounted to unfair
competition.

But former Liverpool City Council chief executive Peter Bounds,
asked by the council to undertake an independent review of the
situation, has described the transfer as “imaginative and
enterprising”.

He also said the move had saved the council millions of pounds
over the years.

Referring to previous criticisms of the arrangement, Bounds said
the move was “one of the best things the council has ever
done”.

He added: “This is not to say everything has always been done
well or properly but most of the difficulties are now in the past
and the whole thing adds up to a success story,” he said.

Bounds also said the council purchase of places in Islecare 97
homes was in accordance with care in the community legislation. But
he acknowledged the difficulties faced by the private residential
care sector over local authority fees and encouraged the council to
continue to work on improving relations.