Call for probe into how millions were spent on care homes with now only 16 beds

A leading councillor has called for an independent investigation into how Trafford council spent up to £3m on two care homes in Sale, one of which is now boarded up. In the home that is still operational - Our Place, on Harboro Road - of its 39 beds, only 16 can currently be occupied because of 'fire safety restrictions', it was revealed at the council's executive meeting.

Conservative group leader Coun Nathan Evans made the claims following a report highlighting the issues at the home. It stated the council owns the facility, although service delivery is provided by an independent third party. Trafford council paid £2.16m for the home in March 2020, a week before the first Covid lockdown, and bought another on Broad Road in Sale for an unknown sum before carrying out a refurbishment.

“Due to fire safety issues and restrictions on admissions, the occupancy is currently at 16 beds,” the report read. “The council continues to pay the provider for the full value of the contract as the enforced restrictions on admissions are no fault of the provider."

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But Coun Evans blasted: "We did this with a view to stabilising the cost of care residents. We purchased 63 beds in two homes. One of those [on Broad Road] has had hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on it and it is now boarded up. I’ve been unable to find out exactly how much was spent.

“And rather than stablising the cost of care at round about £600-£700 per bed, we are now paying £1,600 and we’ve reduced the number of beds from 63 [including the Broad Road facility] to 16. If you take the business case from the report in 2020 [which took place behind closed doors], one week before lockdown, when I sat here and said ‘this is not a good time to do this, guys’, it is a total failure.

“I reckon it’s cost the authority between £2m and £3m. Who is going to take responsibility for the loss that money? And if no-one is going to do that, can we have an independent report into how we embarked upon massive investment.”

Responding, Jill McGregor, corporate director of children’s services, said: “In terms of Our Place it’s 39 beds, not 63 beds. At Our Place, we are currently working through an options appraisal looking at what we’ll do to get the best value.

“Because you’re absolutely right, we are not maximising the occupancy at the moment, so it’s really important that we understand what can be done, what is the right action to take and that work is under way already.”