A residential facility for the physically challenged is to undergo an independent review — a year after Police were called in to investigate irregular accounts.

Summerhaven in Smith's — which is part funded with almost half a million dollars of public cash each year — will be assessed by a former long-term care ombudsman from the US, Government announced yesterday.

Acting Culture Minister Michael Scott said the review was in response to "concerns raised" by Summerhaven staff and residents in the last few years. Health Minister Walter Roban pledged that the findings would be made public.

Mr. Scott said: "The Government makes a significant financial investment in the operation of Summerhaven. Therefore, when concerns are raised, it is imperative to get to the bottom of them in a transparent way."

Summerhaven Trust chairman John Powell told The Royal Gazette: "It's something that we are excited about. We are all for it. I know Summerhaven runs very, very well and the people here are extremely happy."

The independent living complex on South Road came under scrutiny last year after administrator Ianthia Wade, widow of former PLP leader Frederick Wade, was suspended on suspicion of financial mismanagement.

An internal audit conducted by the Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation cleared her of any wrongdoing in September 2008 but uncovered "numerous inefficiencies, deficiencies and irregularities" in the accounts.

The board of the independent trust which owns and runs Summerhaven turned the matter over to Police and said it was seeking legal advice.

A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said last night: "The Summerhaven matter was closed on August 4, 2009, there being insufficient evidence to place any person before the courts."

Mr. Powell said yesterday that Mrs. Wade's employment was terminated in June this year after more than 20 years as administrator.

"She was not dismissed because of the Police investigation," he explained, adding that he could not give further details about her dismissal due to "another action".

Mr. Powell, who has been acting administrator since Mrs. Wade's departure, would not comment on whether he was referring to civil proceedings. "It wouldn't benefit anybody right now," he said.

He said the board met with Government to discuss Summerhaven and an independent review was agreed as the best way forward.

"Summerhaven has been around for 28 years and it's about time to look at it," he said, adding that the person appointed to do the review, Glenn Wachter, sounded "very experienced".

Mr. Powell said: "This independent thing that we have put together is nothing to do with Mrs. Wade." He said he did not know what the concerns raised by staff and residents were about.

Summerhaven has 18 male and two female residents, ranging in age from 39 to 70 and all with physical disabilities. They live in studio apartments with kitchens and are encouraged to be as independent as possible. Fourteen members of staff provide 24-hour care.

Though an independent organisation, the trust gets an annual grant of $471,000 from Government. Responsibility for ensuring that the money is properly spent recently passed from the Ministry of Culture to the Ministry of Health.

The review was announced in a joint press release yesterday, in which Mr. Scott said the concerns had been raised with both ministries in recent years.

He said when Government met recently with Mr. Powell they agreed it was "both prudent and in the public interest to initiate an independent review of the operations of the facility".

He did not elaborate on the nature of the concerns and a Government spokeswoman could not give details later but said the review was being done to "ensure due diligence and to start with a fresh, clean slate".

Mr. Roban said it would be conducted by Mr. Wachter, who was previously deputy state ombudsman in the State of Oregon Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman and led hundreds of investigations into long-term care facilities.

Neither Mr. Wachter nor Mrs. Wade could be reached for comment yesterday.