Care homes need rebuild or revamp

The care homes will need to meet national standards

Highland councillors will be asked to consider three fall back options if seven care homes are not privatised.

The choices are to rebuild the homes at a cost of £18.6m, build five new properties for £18.9m or spend almost £9m on refurbishing the existing seven.

Highland Council chief executive Arthur McCourt warned funding would not be available to provide more care for elderly people in their own homes.

Councillors will be asked to progress to the tender process on 4 May.

The homes earmarked for privatisation are Burnside and Ach an Eas in Inverness; Urray House in Muir of Ord; Duthac House in Tain; Grant House in Grantown; Wade Centre in Kingussie and Invernevis House in Fort William.

Mr McCourt has asked the council's care home sub-committee to consider the three options in case there is not enough interest from the private sector in providing 160 bed spaces.

The number of beds is currently provided by the seven homes. 'Too expensive'

He said the status quo was not an option and the care homes would have to start closing from 2010, because they do not meet national standards.

Mr McCourt said rebuilding would cost nearly £18.9m with annual running costs of £4.2m.

Refurbishment would cost almost £9m, also with running cost of £4.2m a year.

Councillor Basil Dunlop said not all homes would need refurbishing, and that some were improved recently.

He said refurbishment could be carried out over several years.

Mr McCourt said rebuilding or refurbishment would be considered if tendering proved impractical or too expensive.

Councillors will be asked to progress the tender process at a full council meeting on 4 May.

Between November and February 2007 tenders would be subject to evaluation and in March the best solution identified and implemented.