Southern Cross to be broken up after rescue attempts fail

 
Southern Cross, Britain's largest care home provider, is to be broken up after attempts to rescue the company failed. The company told financiers that its 750 homes will being taken over by its landlords. Under the plan, 250 of Southern Cross's homes will be transferred to landlords who are either care operators already or who have strong links to firms who provide such services. The owners of the remaining 500 homes are still "finalising their plans", which could involve homes being sold. Southern Cross chief executive, Jamie Buchan, said: "My objective, and that of my team, is to continue to provide excellent care to every resident and to manage the programme of transition professionally."

Council chiefs seek union support

The number of senior local government officers requesting help from their trade union has doubled. Casework data compiled by the Association of Local Authority Chief Executives (ALACE) revealed a 58% rise in the number of calls for advice in the last year. The organisation's team of consultants described the increase as "dramatic", and claimed it was the result of "the worsening public sector climate leading to more cases of people feeling at risk and seeking advice". Rob Tinlin, chief executive of Southend-on-Sea borough council and chair of ALACE, said: "Most of the help we give is not to people who've done anything wrong but to people who've fallen out of favour." The largest proportion of cases (28%) related to termination of employment, with 4% related to disciplinary action.

Cardiff to close offices in bid to save money

Cardiff council expects to close a significant number of its 51 office buildings over the next five years, a report has revealed. The council will concentrate its administrative work at four sites including the city and county halls, and two offices in Grangetown. A report before councillors said a blueprint was being drawn up for its office space that would lead to a "major cultural shift" in working arrangements for the council's 3,700 employees. The move comes as the council seeks to dispose of assets including a former junior school site to bring in more than £5m. Last year Cardiff said it faced a funding gap of up to £90m over the next three years. The council is also facing a maintenance backlog for its properties amounting to more than £84m.