BRIDPORT Town Councillors have welcomed news that there is no intention to move the provision of adult social care in Bridport to the private sector.

That was the message delivered by Cllr Jill Haynes at the Dorset County Council cabinet meeting as she presented a report on the public consultation over the proposed £4.7million investment into the service.

She also attended a Bridport Town Council meeting on Tuesday to reveal the results of the consultation.

Cllr Haynes, cabinet member for adult social care, said the council may look to work with a strategic partner to help provide the service.

Cllr Haynes added: “When we refer to a strategic partner that means we work with an organisation to create a building that we provide the care from, not about us moving our services out of our responsibility.

“We have no intention to move services to the private sector.”

Clerk to the town council Bob Gillis said councillors welcomed the new development but would continue to monitor how the service is provided.

He said: “Councillors agreed that it is important that the service provision meets the needs of the local community. In particular, it highlighted the growing numbers of people with dementia and the need for extra care provision for this specialised treatment.”

Dorset County Council launched a consultation last December to help shape the plans for its investment in adult social care in Bridport.

Following the consultation, the report presented to cabinet showed that the most popular option selected by the public was to build a fully accessible, multi-purpose community hub and the second was for the council to work with a strategic partner to provide a smaller specialist residential care home and to implement an extra care scheme.

The council agreed to work with a strategic partner to develop a new care home for older people, said it would work in partnership with another organisation to develop extra care housing in the area and authorised officers to consult the local community.

Cllr Haynes, added: “It is very clear that the public trust the service the council provides despite, in some cases, having inappropriate buildings and that Sidney Gale House remains until a better location is found, rather than going to a private service. There has also been considerable support for a community hub, as the residents of Sidney Gale would like to mix with the whole community.”