Norfolk County Council faced sustained public and political pressure at its April cabinet meeting over the proposed sale of NorseCare-managed care homes, with residents and opposition councillors questioning who would ultimately own the homes and whether community alternatives had been properly considered.

Members of the public raised concerns about two specific homes — Bishop Herbert House and Ellacombe — arguing that both were viable candidates for community or not-for-profit ownership rather than inclusion in the wider NorseCare sale. One resident asked whether the council would engage with community groups and the emerging unitary authority to explore alternatives that would "protect public assets and give residents a stake in their homes."

Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Andrew Jamieson said the in-principle sale decision had been made by cabinet on 26 January 2026 following an open sales process during which any interested party could have come forward. He said he saw "no reason to revisit that decision."

On the question of overseas ownership, council leader Cllr Kay Mason Billig clarified that the prospective purchaser was a UK-registered limited company. She said all bidders had been subject to due diligence and that the council would not proceed without confidence in the company's track record. Appropriate safeguards would be put in place if the company was approved.

A separate question from Cllr Mike Sands suggested that rushing through the sale before Local Government Reorganisation was complete could result in "wasted effort" and raised concerns about governance. Cllr Jamieson again pointed to the January decision, saying the contract extension for NorseCare was intended to allow the Adult Social Care sufficiency procurement exercise and a Housing with Care tender to be completed safely.

Residents directly affected by the potential sale — including those at Bishop Herbert House — were told a consultation was ongoing and that all residents and relatives had been informed and supported to take part. The results of that consultation would inform the final decision.