BLACK Country Housing Association is to take over the running of New Bradley Hall, Dudley Council confirmed this week.

The Blackheath based not for profit organisation has been named as the preferred provider to take over New Bradley Hall and talks are now underway over the technicalities of transferring the home and staff over to BCHG.

Black Country Housing Group, which is listed in the Sunday Times Top 100 Not For Profit Organisations 2014, has pledged to spend £750,000 on improving the home.

Andrea Pope-Smith, Dudley's director of adult, community and housing services, said: “Black Country Housing Group is a first class provider of care for older people, and are the ideal not for profit organisation to secure the future of New Bradley Hall.

“We have said all along that this is about keeping the home open for residents and safeguarding jobs, and BCHG has an excellent reputation in these fields."

However campaigner Mac Scott, who together with Phil Vanes formed the New Bradley Hall Action Group to try and keep the care home under council control, said: "It's just a shame really. We desperately wanted to keep it open as a local authority home. I just hope things go well."

The council says BCHG operates three sheltered schemes across the borough and delivers numerous care contracts for the council.

Ward councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Conservatives, however, remains sceptical about the transfer.

He said: "It is a great regret that Labour could not keep its promise of retaining New Bradley Hall as a council run care home. However, it will be interesting to see if the not for profit provider with limited experience of running a care home can continue to offer the same level of care that the authority has for many years."

Black Country Housing Group chief executive Amanda Tomlinson said the organisation has a "strong track record for providing high-quality care to people in Dudley" and added: "Aligned with our commitment to invest in New Bradley Hall, we are well placed to operate a first class residential home which meets the needs of residents.”

Under the deal, existing residents will be able to remain at the home and permanent staff will be offered the chance to continue working at New Bradley Hall as employees of Black Country Housing Group.

The council will continue to run the home until contracts are signed and details of the lease agreed.

In the meantime the council has appointed an independent complaints investigator to respond to a formal complaint raised by the New Bradley Hall Action Group over whether correct procedures were adhered to in the wake of the news that a not for profit provider would be sought to run the home.