No Probe Into The Transfer Of Care Homes

Calls for an investigation into the transfer of Essex County Council-run care homes to the private sector have been blocked.

The Labour group at County Hall demanded a public investigation of the transfer of ten Essex care homes – including Goldenley, in Benfleet, and Sweyne Court, in Rayleigh – to the private operator Excelcare.

The call follows a tribunal in October after staff at the care homes were caught up in a dispute with the company.

advertisementThe county council ran the homes until they were transferred to Excelcare in March 2005. Staff then complained about the drop in their pay and conditions and have protested several times in the past two years.

But Excelcare had denied the staff were their employees, claiming they were employed by the care homes.

However, a tribunal in October ruled that Excelcare was the employer.

The GMB union which represents the care home workers say staff have been messed around and accused Essex County Council’s Tory leaders of not caring.

The Labour group tabled a motion calling for an inquiry “to ensure all lessons from this sorry episode are learned” after the findings of the tribunal.

But because there was no written report of the tribunal’s findings available at the council meeting, the Conservatives threw out the motion.

Sarah Candy, county councillor responsible for adult social care, said: “I recognise the ongoing issues between the Excelcare companies and their staff.

“It will be important for Essex County Council, once legal proceedings have been completed, to discuss with GMB and Unison any outstanding issues they have.”

Excelcare declined to comment.