THE owners of a residential home today pledged that its future was secure after the sudden sacking of a husband and wife management team.

But the Lancashire Evening Telegraph can reveal that Beech Grove Residential Home in Clitheroe has links with a businessman who only four months ago was at the centre of the collapse of a private nursing home in Leeds with debts of more than £1.5million.

West Yorkshire Police are investigating the disappearance of £12,000 belonging to former residents of the Rosecourt nursing home in Cookridge, Leeds. The home, part-owned by 54-year-old David Devoti, was closed by Leeds Social Services in March at a few hours' notice and police were called in after debts of more than £1.5million were discovered.

The missing cash is believed to be an accumulation of personal allowances paid to the home's 30 residents.

Now David and Lynne Elliott, the husband and wife managers of Beech Grove, St Paul's Street, Low Moor, have been dismissed by Bradford-based Concept Administration Ltd, which is controlled by Mr Devoti's 27-year-old son, Jason.

They were fired after an alleged row over unpaid rent to landlord Carlton Healthcare Properties Ltd, London.

The Elliotts claim David Devoti, who had financial control, was failing to pay bills or set budgets.

Mrs Elliott, a former hospital business manager, said: "We had creditors and the Inland Revenue sending us bills. At the same time we were being asked to make cuts in staffing and spending to a level I thought unacceptable.

"I had no holidays or performance-related pay in 14 months and money promised for refurbishment never materialised. We had to prioritise payments, so the rent wasn't paid for two months. We didn't withhold it for any other reason, but Mr Devoti couldn't see eye-to-eye with me in terms of spending and we were forced out."

The couple are taking legal advice on the termination of their contracts. At a Registered Homes Tribunal in September 1995, Leeds Health Authority cancelled the registration of two nursing homes on the grounds that Mr David Devoti, who was a director of both companies, was unfit to be a director "under the terms of the Registered Homes Act."

The cancelled registrations belonged to Homemake Ltd in respect of Rosecourt Nursing Home and Alwoodley Ltd in relation to Rose Hill Nursing Home, Chapel Allerton, Leeds.

Mr Devoti later withdrew an appeal against the decisions.

His solicitor said he formed Beech Grove Ltd 14 months ago with Mr and Mrs Elliott and his role was purely administrative.

Mr and Mrs Elliott were company secretary and a director respectively and Mrs Elliott was to undertake the day-to-day running of the home, which houses up to 33 residents.

Mr Devoti's solicitor, London-based Joseph Quartson, said control of Concept Administration was handed over to Jason Devoti following the collapse of Rosecourt.

He said: "David Devoti was taken out of the loop because of nervousness surrounding what happened at Rosecourt. This was a deliberate move to allay fears that the same thing might happen at Beech Grove. He formed Beech Grove Ltd in a purely administrative capacity and it was never his intention to run the home." Beech Grove is now being run by Jason Devoti as care director and colleague James Foley, 60, as home director.

Mr Quartson said the pair were completely committed to running the home in the long term and their main concern at all times was the welfare of residents.

Lancashire Social Services have been informed of the dismissal of the Elliotts and are monitoring the situation.

A spokeswoman said: "Beech Grove is registered with our Social Services Department. We are aware of problems at the home at the moment and are monitoring the situation carefully, but we have no concerns about the welfare of residents," she said.

Detective Constable Tony Oldroyd, of Leeds CID, said a series of criminal allegations were still being investigated surrounding the closure of Rosecourt Nursing Home. None of the allegations referred to the Elliotts.

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