Solid year at Somerset

Somerset Care Group reported a 3.6% increase in turnover from £77.7m to £80.5m for the year ended 31 March 2013. Operating profit stood at £6.3m (2012: £5.4m) and a profit of £5m before tax was made (£4.3m). During the report period, the operator restructured its business into three divisional care boards, which monitor and govern its residential care, community care and support services for people with learning disabilities. Occupancy levels in its care home dropped to 91% due to adult social care budget pressures plus local issues at certain older homes’ the directors said. They continued: The board continues to seek to re-invest sustainably into our care homes, subject to careful review. This supports service offering and employment, and will be further supported following successful re-financing of our lending facilities with Lloyds TSB completed in autumn 2012.’ Construction work started on homes in Cheddar and Somerton, both in Somerset, the latter being funded by a long term rental agreement with the Stepping Stones Group and is due for completion in April 2014. The provider’s community care division now provides around 37,000 hours of care and support per week and the directors said the business had experienced a significant increase in the number of clients funding their own care’.