Cornwall's largest care provider being sold by council

Sanctuary Housing will take over 16 care homes in Cornwall

Cornwall's largest provider of care is set to be sold off by the council.

Under the plans, Cornwall Care is to be bought by housing provider Sanctuary in the hope of avoiding the closure of residential care homes.

It currently has 16 care homes in Cornwall, with more than 645 beds and services which help more than 1,000 people.

Cornwall Council's cabinet is to make a final decision on Monday.

Details of the takeover have been revealed in published papers ahead of Cornwall Council Cabinet's extraordinary meeting on Monday, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Cornwall Care is an independent charity but the council owns the freehold of 15 of its care homes, and also has responsibilities linked to the pension fund for staff who transferred to Cornwall Care from the council in 1995.

The council said that in drawing up terms it has "negotiated significant improvements to the current long-standing arrangements".

In January Cornwall Care closed three care homes partially due to difficulties recruiting and finding accommodation for care staff.

The report to the cabinet said "Cornwall Care view this acquisition as a critical way of preventing the need for further closures."

In a press release Cornwall Council said of the plans: "This acquisition will help secure Cornwall's care market and provide security for residents living in the homes.

"In return for the transfer of the sites Sanctuary will lead a programme which will see the development of new and refurbished care homes over a ten-year period."

The homes affected are in Truro, Carbis Bay, Redruth, St Austell, Falmouth, Wadebridge, Carbis Bay, Camborne, Newquay, Callington and Liskeard.

Sanctuary already has a presence in Cornwall, providing a range of housing options and services for the local NHS employing residents in the county.