Consultation is to take place over the future of a Pembrokeshire residential home.

Pembrokeshire County Council's cabinet agreed on Monday morning to a proposal to consult on the future of residential care services at Sunnybank Residential Home in Narberth.

A team led by the head of service, Angela Watwood, will undertake the consultation process and report back to a future cabinet meeting.

Owned and managed by Pembrokeshire County Council, Sunnybank is one of two residential care homes for frail, older people in the county.

A report to the cabinet meeting said that the home had only 10 residents, with a further 18 accessing it for respite care and with two other day care service users.

The report added that the cost of maintaining each resident in the home was more than £1,000 a week - more than twice the cost of commissioning a residential placement in the independent sector.

Sunnybank was built in the 1960s and repairing physical defects and bringing it up to modern day standards would cost around £2.6 million.

Clr. Simon Hancock, cabinet member for adult services, said the consultation would be comprehensive.

"An Integrated Impact Assessment has already been undertaken and a further Equality Impact Assessment will be carried out in light of this consultation," he said.

He added that the council's strategy towards caring for older people was consistent with what customers themselves said they wanted.

"They are telling us that they wish to remain in their own home in the community as their first choice and in community based settings such as extra care housing, when they can no longer be supported at home," he said.

The report to cabinet said that over the last decade, the county council has reduced the number of residential homes in its direct management and pursued a strategy of commissioning a range of community-based alternatives.

"There are now two extra care housing schemes - one in Haverfordwest and one in Milford Haven - enabling people to live independently in purpose built accommodation and at the same time have access to care delivered on site," the report said.

"A third extra care facility is nearing completion in Crymych, which will afford similar accommodation for between 40 and 50 people as a home for life and an alternative to residential care."

The matter is also to be considered by the council's older persons, health and well-being overview and scrutiny committee.