Comment Adds To Highland Care Home Confusion

There were renewed calls for an independent review of the controversial plan to privatise care homes for the elderly yesterday after comments made by the new Highland Council convener left many confused.

Councillor Sandy Park said that an independent review was already under way by Audit Scotland in response to a question tabled by Lib-Dem group deputy leader David Alston ahead of Thursday’s full council meeting.

He said it was unnecessary to commission further study into the initiative, which includes the sell-off of Burnside and Ach an Eas in Inverness, because it would duplicate the work which had already began.

Audit Scotland, however, said there was no specific review into the issue.

“We are currently reviewing information and seeking clarification through background inquiries. This is part of our on-going audit and does not constitute a special investigation,” a spokeswoman said.

Dr Ian McNamara, Highland Senior Citizens Network (HSCN) chairman, said the convener’s response raised more questions than answers.

“I think that all they are saying is that Audit Scotland look at all figures for all councils. I don’t think it is any more robust than that,” he said. “Nobody that we have had any contact with in the council has been under the impression that there was an on-going review.

“The only review that will satisfy public opinion is one that is impartial, independently chaired and which is carried out whilst the tender process is suspended.”

Councillor John Finnie, Ness-side councillor and SNP group leader, promisedhe would look into the matter. “I have been led to believe that it is more detailed than that,” he said. “If that is not the case then that would be disappointing and we would have to look at that advice.”

Councillor Alston (Black Isle) will further question the convener’s response at Thursday’s meeting.

“It’s clear that the public have to have confidence that the figures are robust and that the right decision was made for the right reasons, and I think they don’t at the moment,” he said.

“This has to be done before decisions are made on the tendering process. There is an issue of restoring public confidence.”

Meanwhile Councillor Finnie pledged the future of the region’s care homes would be high on his list of priorities when he met Highland Senior Citizens Network in Inverness yesterday.

He told the meeting consultation was the key to everything. “I assured them that any consultation process entered into by our administration will be meaningful and informative,” he said.

He had been left in no doubt at the meeting that HSCN had “little confidence” in much of the information put out by the council.