The joint administrators of William Blake House Northants have secured the sale of the charity’s services, securing “a stable future” for staff and residents.
Yesterday, Camphill Milton Keynes Communities (CMKC), a charity supporting adults with learning disabilities, announced it had exchanged contracts to take on the care and support services of William Blake House.
After being the subject of a regulatory compliance case and statutory inquiry over financial and governance concerns, including a £1.5m debt to HMRC and late filing of accounts, William Blake House entered administration in April.
CMKC said it will take on the service – which provides residential care to young adults with learning disabilities – in its entirety, including residents and staff, helping ensure continuity of care and daily life.
The sale, subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed in around seven weeks.
The joint administrators, Adam Stephens and Chris Allen of S&W Partners, said the country centre in Northampton, a community hub that belongs to William Blake House, and the land on which it is situated, are not included in the transaction with CMKC.
‘Shared ethos’
Established in 1981, CMKC was founded on the same principles and anthroposophical spiritual tradition as William Blake House.
Both share a heritage and values-based approach to supporting people with learning disabilities.
CMKC said it was approached as a potential partner because of “this shared ethos, its strong regulatory record and its organisational stability”.
“Families were clear that a long-term charitable provider with deep sector experience was needed to help secure the future of the service,” it said.
Tim Davies, chief executive of CMKC, said: “This transition is about protecting people’s homes, relationships and sense of security.
“Everyone at William Blake House deserves to feel safe, supported and valued, and our priority from day one is to provide that with care, dignity and compassion.”
CMKC will “now focus on supporting a smooth transition, working closely with residents, staff, families, commissioners and regulators to provide reassurance in the short term and to build a confident, caring and resilient future for the service”, it said.
‘Important milestone in securing continuity of care’
Stephens said: “We’re delighted to have exchanged contracts with CMKC following a thorough process to identify the best available outcome in the circumstances for William Blake House.
“This transaction represents an important milestone in securing stability and continuity of care for residents, while also providing reassurance to families and staff about the future of the service.”
Allen said: “From the outset of the administration, we’ve worked to support continuity of care for residents while also progressing a solution that delivers the best achievable outcome for all stakeholders.
“We’re pleased to have reached this agreement with CMKC, which we believe represents a very positive outcome in the circumstances.
“Importantly, this transaction also provides reassurance for employees, with the intention of safeguarding roles and enabling staff to continue supporting residents they know well within a stable organisation.”
A group of residents’ families at William Blake House told Civil Society: “We’re thrilled to bits to get the news that Camphill is taking over our children’s care homes. We know they’ll provide security and a wonderful quality of care for our loved ones.”
