Council defends licence decision in care home race controversy

Coventry social services department has defended its decision to
issue a licence to a private care home whose residents later
objected to a man moving in because he was black.

Sawarn Malhotra of the Coventry race equality council, said the
family of 76-year-old Clifton Golding were now taking legal advice
against the Cordelia Court Home and Coventry social services
department.

Malhotra said: “Social services is failing to ask the right
questions of organisations it makes contractual arrangements with –
questions like are you able to provide for different communities
and their needs?”

But a spokesperson for the council, which is responsible for the
inspection and registration of care homes, said it had advised the
home’s owner Ken Grasby to tell residents that such behaviour was
unacceptable.

“We get home owners to sign a contract, part of which is to
treat all residents equally, and with regard to our equal
opportunities policy,” she said.

Golding’s daughter said Grasby had not known how to deal with
the issue, and therefore “seemed to condone what residents were
saying”.

But Grasby denied that Golding had been refused a place,
explaining that he had approached social services for advice before
confirming to the family that Golding was welcome.

“I’ve told residents that if they don’t like that, they can make
other arrangements,” Grasby said. However, the family withdrew
their interest, he added.

John Beer, chairperson of the Association of Directors of Social
Services health and social exclusion committee, called for a
general review of how homeowners were informed of their
responsibilities regarding minority communities.

“Rather than waiting for a black resident to come to homes, they
should be looking at how they can prepare for it to happen. All
care homes will eventually reflect the community they serve,” he
said.