Latimer Grange: Under investigation owner to close care home

Latimer Grange care home caters for elderly people with dementia and Alzheimer's

Council staff are "working round-the-clock" to find places for 19 residents who need rehoming after a care home under investigation for neglect announced it will shut on Sunday.

Northamptonshire County Council terminated its contract with Latimer Grange care home earlier this week.

Three people are currently on bail having been arrested last year.

Owner Anthony Lampitt called the decision to close the home "sad and distressing".

Rhona McKinley, whose concerns about Latimer Grange prompted a BBC investigation into Latimer Grange, said she felt "a massive sense of relief".

Northamptonshire Police are investigating allegations of neglect at the home in Burton Latimer, including criminal offences against current and past residents.

An 82-year-old man, a 51-year-old woman and a 66-year-old woman remain on conditional pre-charge bail.

The BBC has learned the arrested man is the owner of the care home, Mr Lampitt.

Following the initial BBC investigation, the county council decided not to place any more residents at Latimer Grange.

This week the authority ended its contract with the home.

Rhona McKinlay said residents at Latimer Grange will come to see its closure as a blessing

The decision affects 22 residents, 19 of whom are funded by the council.

A spokesman said there are "concerns in relation to the management of the home and the home's inability to meet the needs of residents without significant input from the council".

At that stage, council staff were working to find alternative accommodation for the residents within four weeks.

However, Mr Lampitt has now decided to close it by Sunday.

'Lack of finances'

He said it had been impossible to run Latimer Grange while on police bail as he had restricted access to staff and is not allowed to enter the care home.

Mr Lampitt said he had brought in private consultants to run the home for a time, but was forced to bring that to an end due to lack of finances.

He said his solicitors had advised him to close Latimer Grange by Sunday.

A council spokesman confirmed the authority had "staff working round-the-clock to find new places for residents".

Last year Mrs McKinley, whose father William was a former resident at Latimer Grange, raised concerns with the Care Quality Commission, the county council and the police about his treatment.