Scottish Borders Council advised to axe arms-length care agency

A council is being recommended to axe its arms-length care agency - less than five years after it began operation.

SB Cares took control of services in the Scottish Borders in April 2015 in a bid to save millions of pounds.

However, a report said savings to date had fallen about £800,000 short of those anticipated.

It also said recent visits had found not all care homes were being maintained to an acceptable standard and advised the council resume control.

The report to Scottish Borders Council said the agency had delivered financial and service benefits since its inception.

'Challenges and risks'

It added that it had "struggled to realise the full potential of the model originally envisaged".

Councillors have been told that "after careful consideration" the benefits of the arms-length operation no longer outweighed the "challenges and risks" facing the business.

If agreed, Scottish Borders Council would terminate SB Cares on 1 December this year.

All its services would then be taken back under local authority control.

SB Cares currently employs the equivalent of 570 full-time staff who would transfer back to the council.