County Council announces intention to revise plans for the future of eight care homes after sale fell through

Plans are being revised for the future of eight Derbyshire care homes after a planned sale fell through.

For the past few months, Derbyshire County Council has been in intensive negotiations with a provider to take over the running of the residential homes as a going concern.

Unfortunately, these discussions have come to an end and the sale cannot be progressed further.

The authority had agreed in principle for a single care home provider to take over the running of all eight residential homes - including Briar Close in Borrowash and Lacemaker Court in Long Eaton - as part of a wide-reaching plan by the authority to remodel its in-house care services.

The county council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Care Councillor Joss Barnes said: “I’m devastated by the news that despite the hard work by the council and the company, the negotiations have failed to come to the positive conclusion we’d hoped and worked hard for.

“I know this will be extremely upsetting news for all our residents and their families, as well as our hard-working care colleagues, especially coming at this time of year in the run-up to Christmas.

“I’d like to thank everyone for their hard work, patience and persistence and I’d also like to say how incredibly sorry I am that this hasn’t worked out as we’d hoped and planned for.

“We have done absolutely everything to progress the sale, but in the end it wasn’t possible. Due to commercial sensitivities, we’re not able to give any more details regarding negotiations.”

The county council’s Cabinet agreed in November 2024 to no longer operate eight of its homes and to sell them as going concerns following a public consultation into changes to its in-house care services.

The focus of the council’s in-house care homes is now on providing wraparound care for the growing number of people with dementia and their carers alongside closer working with health partners to increase in the number of community support beds to help with timely discharge from hospital.

Councillor Barnes said: “Selling all the homes as a going concern was our intention, to ensure continuity for our residents and security for our colleagues. This was always our aim and I am extremely sad to have to make this announcement. Work will now be undertaken to support our residents to find new homes.

“The health and wellbeing of our residents, their families and friends and our valued colleagues, is our top priority and we will continue to do everything we can to support them through this difficult time.”

Another of the county council’s care homes, Ada Belfield in Belper, is currently being marketed as a going concern with the council looking to transfer the care home to a provider with a proven track record. The council will offer it for lease and retain the building.

The lease would cover the whole site, including the care home and library, with the leaseholder required to sub-let the library back to the county council at no cost.

Councillor Barnes reiterated this was a separate matter, saying: “We continue to market Ada Belfield as a going concern and know the library is very important to the community and retaining control of the whole site through a lease agreement – and therefore access to it by the public – means we can keep providing a library service to the people of Belper.