On 1 March, Powys County Council expects to reveal the care provider who will take over a dozen care homes across the county.

The process of finding a partner to take over the Bupa Care homes, including Maes-y-Wennol in Llanidloes and Cartref Dyfi in Machynlleth will be finalised in the next couple of months.

There are three companies in the running to win the contract.

The deadline for final bids has passed and by the middle of January the authority will have chosen a preferred company.

Then, they will work for around six weeks to finalise the deal before unveiling the partners on 1 March who will take over the homes a couple of months later.

Independent county councillor Heulwen Hulme, who represents Rhiwcyncin, asked for an update at the health, care and housing scrutiny committee.

“Are we where we need to be at this point in time?” asked Cllr Hulme.

Dylan Owen, head of transformation for Adult Services, replied: “The answer is yes. We have the tender out at the moment, it’s a negotiation.

“A number of companies came back to us and of those we have then put it to tender with three parties.”

Final bids were expected on 17 December.

Now staff will be evaluating those.

And from mid January the council will be going to the preferred partner.

“We will then be working with them and negotiating the exact details of the contract."

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