by Paul Francis and Emma Grove

One of the Island's old people's homes could be privatised in a shake-up of county council services.

Kent County Council (KCC) has announced plans to shut three of its residential care homes and sell off others to private companies, including Blackburn Lodge in Broadway, Sheerness.

It wants to effectively sell-off the homes and negotiate an agreement where it can retain rights to places.

The plans, announced on Tuesday, will mean at least 100 residents from around the county will have to be found places in new homes.

Consultation

Social services chiefs say no final decision is likely to be made until December at the earliest and has promised wide-ranging consultation with residents, their families and staff.

The re-organisation will affect more than 400 staff working in the homes and some jobs will have to go.

KCC, which expects to save £2m a year as a result, insists the proposals will in time deliver better care for elderly people.

The Mayor of Swale, Cllr Steve Worrall, disagrees and says selling the care home to the private sector is not the way to go.

He said: "I believe these care homes are far better under the control and management of KCC staff. I think they are more responsible.

"It amazes me they will sell the care home, if they are going to sell to anyone who comes along and wants to buy them on the basis that it's going to be cheaper to run.

"The county pays for a lot of the residents that are in there with social services so they will still be paying for them. I think it's a very bad thing and I would hope our county councillors would oppose it.

"The private sector will only be interested in what profit it can make."

Cllr Worrall said there are some very good private care homes on Sheppey and that he is not knocking them.

KCC has acknowledged the plans will cause anxiety and may trigger strong opposition but says private companies are better placed to invest in the homes, many of which need significant redevelopment to up-date their facilities.

• Blackburn Lodge has 21 permanent residents but provides respite services for many residents from across Sheppey.

Cllr Graham Gibbens (Con),cabinet member for adult care, said the council wanted the best for elderly people but it lacked the money needed to bring the care homes up to scratch.

KCC would ensure that any deals it struck with private care home companies would commit them to keeping places available for its clients.

“These changes are all about providing real dignity, real quality care and a real quality environment into the future. It would not be possible to do that without doing what we are doing,” he said.

Many of KCC’s homes were in need of improvements such as adding ensuite bathrooms for all residents, that were potentially costly and could not be afforded.