Norfolk County Council’s Labour opposition has called for consultants to be brought in to investigate how the council runs its arms-length companies in light of controversial plans to sell off care homes.
The county's cabinet has agreed an ‘in principle' sale of Norse Care – part of its wholly-owned trading company – and 20 care homes to the US company Stow Healthcare.
Labour's opposition group leader Steve Morphew told The MJ earlier this month that the reason behind the move to ‘mismanagement’ and a desire to avoid any ‘due diligence' as part of local government reorganisation.
The county's cabinet member of finance, Andrew Jamieson, rejects the claim and says the only reason for the timing of the sale is because of the expiration of the contract with Norse Care.
However, at a budget meeting this week, Cllr Morphew will call for £100,000 to be used to commission the consultants Local Partnerships to investigate how the council runs its arms-length companies.
‘Local Partnerships set the guidance for council companies, so commissioning them to get under the skin of Norse and the smaller county council owned companies is essential,’ he said.
