THE former Langcraigs Care Home in Dumbarton's Gooseholm Road is to be sold off- to make way for a privately-run care home.

Councillors approved the move during a meeting of the Infrastructure Regeneration and Economic Development committee (IRED) at a meeting last week in Clydebank Town Hall.

The sale of the care home to established care home operator Meallmore Ltd, based in Inverness, will make West Dunbartonshire Council £975,000 richer.

However, they did have the option to sell to a residential developer, who planned 61 homes for social and private rent, for just over £1m- but rejected it.

A report which went before members last week detailed the background to the proposed sale.

It said: "West Dunbartonshire Council undertook an exercise to rationalise the Care Homes within the area which are more suitable and fit for purpose for local residents.

"This has resulted in a new Care Home for the Dumbarton and Alexandria areas based at Crosslet House, Dumbarton, and the subsequent closures of Willox Park, Dalreoch House and Langcraigs Care Homes."

Property agents were then instructed to investigate the opportunity to sell Langcraigs for on-going use as a care home by a private operator.

Depending on the level of permitted development for residential use, the site could have had a value of between £600,000 and £1.4m after deduction of the costs of demolition.

However, it's understood that the local Health and Social Care Partnership

considered that there was "sufficient demand" in the area for a further care home and of the three currently closing, Langcraigs presented the "best opportunity" to permit refurbishment and expansion.

Meallmore Ltd now plan to provide a 32-bed facility which will comprise of single bed ensuite units. They plan to take ownership by the end of next month.

The report goes on: "The offer from Meallmore Ltd is £45,000 lower than the developer offer, however, this has a number of conditions which could potentially reduce the headline price if abnormal site and planning conditions are identified prior to concluding a sale.

"Langcraigs Care Home has been empty since mid-July whereupon the Council are liable for empty rates and the current rateable value is £91,000.

"This equates to non-domestic rates liability of £44,772 per annum which the

Council would require to pay out if the higher offer was considered.

"In addition there will be ongoing costs of maintenance, insurance and security to be considered."

The report continues: "Meallmore Ltd is one of Scotland’s leading providers in nursing and residential care who specialise in caring for elderly people with a range of medical conditions including dementia and palliative care.

"Currently there is only one other nursing home within the Dumbarton and Alexandria area, which HSCP use to facilitate hospital discharges for this type of care and would negate the need for transfers to nursing homes at the other end of the authority and outwith the West Dunbartonshire area."

One spin-off benefit of having a new privately run care home on the old site is the creation of jobs.

The report adds: "Meallmore Ltd would generate in the region of 37 jobs by bringing this type of service to West Dunbartonshire area.

"Following the closure of the care home as an operational property, the Council became liable for an empty non domestic rates liability amounting to approximately £44,700 per annum.

"It is therefore in the council’s interest to conclude a sale as soon as possible and mitigate their ongoing rates liability."

The sale, has however, been criticised.

Leven Councillor Jim Bollan said: “It's a terrible decision by the SNP.

“I had hoped the SNP group would take a different view on the sale and use of public assets than the previous Labour Group, but it appears not. Just the same Capitalist approach.

“More profits for private shareholders in the care of the elderly sector probably with poorly trained staff on low incomes and zero hour contracts with no security, in a sector with little or no accountability for residents or staff.”