County Hall leaders are coming under renewed pressure to rethink the controversial sale of 20 council-owned Norfolk care homes to a private healthcare company.
Norfolk County Council agreed to an 'in-principle' deal to sell its care company Norse Care and 20 care homes to private company Stow Healthcare Group in January, when the Conservatives were in control of the council.
But the deal has yet to be fully agreed and the council, now led by Reform, has twice had to extend Norse Care's contract to run the homes while negotiations over the sale continue.
At a full council meeting on Tuesday, the leaders of the Liberal Democrat and Green groups, along with independent county councillor Alexandra Kemp, called for Reform leaders to reconsider the sale.
Brian Watkins, Lib Dem leader, questioned whether the council was still committed to the sale and whether the newly-appointed chief executive Dennis Bacon, who has a background in care, was involved in the process.
David Bick, Reform leader of the council, said Mr Bacon was involved in the continuing discussions.
He said: "Ultimately, we will have to look at a range of options, but I think we are at a point now where we cannot give a definitive answer, but as soon as we can, we will."
Baroness Louise Casey, the head of the government's commission into adult social care, last week criticised profiteering by private care companies and how non-British entities, such as wealth funds and private equity, are owning care companies.
Green leader Maxine Webb said Stow Healthcare is owned by United States-based CGEN Care Group and asked Mr Bick to pull the plug on the deal in light of Baroness Casey's warning.
Mr Bick said: "There are always two sides to any deal and we are not the only ones in a potential position to pull the plug."
He added: "The people who commission providers in our own adult social care division do an absolutely first-rate job.
"I don't have any concerns right now as to whether we are being exposed to any profiteering.
"I don't accept the point about foreign companies. I think that's almost stupidly discriminatory.
"If there's a company from foreign parts that does a first class job at a reasonable price, they should be looked at.
"In any case, our procurement rules determine that we have to proceed on that basis."
When the in-principle sale was agreed, the Conservative leaders who ran County Hall at the time had said the sale would enable fresh investment into the homes, while the people living in them - and the staff - would remain under the new ownership.
Which care homes are affected?
Beauchamp House, Chedgrave
Bishop Herbert House, Norwich
Cranmer House, Fakenham
Ellacombe, Thorpe Hamlet
Harker House, Long Stratton
High Haven, Downham Market
Lydia Eva Court, Gorleston
Mayflower Court, Norwich
Mountfield, Norwich
Munhaven, Mundesley
Rebecca Court, Heacham
Rose Meadow, North Walsham
St Edmunds, Attleborough
St Nicholas House, Dereham
Sydney House, Stalham
Westfields, Swaffham
Woodlands, King's Lynn
Three Norse Care properties - Springdale Care Home in Brundall, Burman House in Terrington St John, and Linden Court in Watton - have already closed.
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