The sale of Sandwich’s only care home has been pushed back as it is revealed over half of the home’s beds lie empty.

Kent County Council had planned to sell Wayfarers in St Bart’s Road as a going concern to private company Compass Care Homes Ltd this month.

But complexities over staff pensions and registration with regulators Care Quality Commission (CQC) mean the sale now won’t happen until July.

In the mean time, 18 of the home’s 33 beds are out of use. KCC has explained this is because the new owner wants to redecorate before more residents move in.

Existing residents were moved to the refurbished wing earlier this year to allow this to happen.

A statement from KCC said: “Progress has continued to be made in the sale of Wayfarers as a going concern and Kent County Council is working closely with the purchaser, Compass Care Homes Ltd to move this forward.

“The original target date for the sale was April 1 2018, however it has recently come to light that there will be a delay to the sale date due to the complexities of the TUPE arrangements to enable existing staff to be transferred across to Compass Care Homes Ltd and managing the deregistration and registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

“In order to make sure that staff and residents are completely protected in the way assurances have been provided throughout the project, it is necessary to move the target completion date to July 1 2018 as it is important that both CQC and pension requirements are completed before the sale/transfer takes place.”

Privatisation has always faced strong opposition from residents and community groups including the Friends of Wayfarers.

Chairman of the group Dick Perry, along with residents, had been battling to keep the home under the control of KCC for up to six years when the sale was announced in 2017.

At the time he said the public had been let down.

Compass Care Homes, which is the chosen purchaser, has been established since 1997 and provides residential care and support to adults and older adults with learning and physical disabilities along with care at home to older people.

KCC added: “We are committed to protecting the service as a care home with Wayfarers continuing to offer care to older people under new ownership and management.

“Existing residents and their families will continue to be supported throughout the transfer of the service and current arrangements will be protected, until there is a change of need. Wayfarers staff are also being kept involved and informed.”