Controversial plans to transfer four Hillingdon Council-owned elderly residential homes to the private sector took effect from last week.

Care UK Community Partnerships now manages Franklin House and The Burroughs, in West Drayton, Whitby Dene in Eastcote and Ryefield in Hillingdon.

Under the contract, the council also agreed to purchase a minimum of 120 places from Care UK for at least 12 years, said a council spokesman.

Over two years the company will extend the Burroughs by 27 beds and rebuild Whitby Dene as a 60-place home.

But eventually it will close and sell both Ryefield and Franklin, he added, which will help fund these improvements.

Dawn Warwick, social services' head of commissioning and performance management said: 'The agreement with Care UK completes the transfer of residential care to two experienced care providers.

It follows the recent ten year contract signed by council and Life Style Care PLC under which the council will purchase 106 nursing and residential beds in two of the company's recently built homes ,, Blenheim in Ruslip and Ashwood in Hayes.

But the future of these three properties is still uncertain.

The closures and transfers, which have taken about two years to finalise, have been criticised by Labour councillors and public sector workers' union, Unison, because of unsettling residents and staff.

But Conservative and Liberal Democrats argued that it was necessary because the council could not afford to ensure they reached standards.