Pressure is mounting on Conservative County Councillor Leedo George after the home care company he helps run was placed in special measures by regulators, following a damning inspection that branded its services “inadequate.”
Ranis Healthcare Limited, where Cllr George serves as a director, was given the lowest possible overall rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a report published in February this year. Inspectors uncovered sweeping failings in leadership, safety, and governance, raising urgent concerns about the welfare of vulnerable residents receiving care from the firm.
The regulator’s report concluded:
“Leaders did not have the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively, and they did not do so with integrity, openness and honesty.”
That assessment has sparked renewed calls from local Liberal Democrats for George to resign from his elected role as Cambridgeshire County Councillor for Huntingdon North and Hartford. Critics argue the findings not only undermine public confidence in him as a company director but also cast doubt on his fitness to represent residents in a county where social care oversight is one of the council’s most serious responsibilities.
A catalogue of failings
The CQC carried out its first full inspection of Ranis Healthcare between 25 February and 16 April 2025, after receiving concerns about poor management. The company provides domiciliary care services for adults of all ages, including people with dementia and physical disabilities, across Cambridgeshire.
Inspectors found six breaches of regulations, covering person-centred care, safe treatment, safeguarding, staffing, safe recruitment, and governance. Ranis Healthcare had no registered manager in post at the time of inspection, and systems meant to protect people from harm were described as “poor and inefficient.”
The CQC noted that:
- Staff lacked appropriate training and had not had their competence assessed in key areas.
- Medicines were not managed safely.
- Governance structures were ineffective, with little evidence that problems identified were being used to drive improvements.
- People receiving care often experienced late visits, shortened appointments, and inconsistent staffing.
- Feedback from families and service users was ignored.
One relative described the company as “a rudderless ship,” while another said:
“They never call back – it’s like shouting into a void.”
Some individuals praised individual carers as “kind” or “funny,” but others complained of rushed visits and an absence of compassion.
The CQC ultimately rated the service as inadequate in four of the five assessment categories—Safe, Effective, Responsive, and Well-led—while “Caring” was judged to “require improvement.”
The service has been placed into special measures, meaning it must demonstrate rapid improvements or face potential closure.
Political fallout
The damning verdict immediately raised questions about the role of Cllr Leedo George, who has been a director of Ranis Healthcare since before his election to the county council in May 2025.
Local Liberal Democrats argue there is a direct conflict of interest, pointing out that Cambridgeshire County Council itself holds a four-year contract with Ranis Healthcare, agreed in 2023.
District councillor Jo Harvey, the Liberal Democrat candidate who narrowly lost to George in May by just four votes, has been among the loudest voices demanding his resignation.
She said: “This report is damning. County councillors have a responsibility for some of the most vulnerable people in our county in the social care system. The fact that Cllr George’s own care company falls so far short of the standards our residents expect us to meet raises serious questions about his suitability to serve.”
Harvey added that continuing in public office while running a company under special measures was “untenable” and urged George to “put residents first” by stepping aside.
Council responds
Cambridgeshire County Council has confirmed that no new placements will be made with Ranis Healthcare while it remains under special measures. A spokesperson said:
“We have taken steps to reduce any risk to the people who draw on care and support provided by Ranis Healthcare, and we are supporting them in making the changes required, as identified in the CQC report and outlined in their action plan. For the time being, we have suspended making any new placements with them. We continue to be in regular communication with the CQC on the matter.”
The authority declined to disclose the financial value of the contract with Ranis Healthcare, but opposition councillors are expected to press for transparency.
Cllr George: ‘Taking it seriously’
Speaking to the BBC after the report was published, George acknowledged the seriousness of the findings but insisted improvements were under way.
He said: “I am taking it seriously. I am pretty sure we’ll be back on track, and we are working closely with the council to put things right.”
He has not directly addressed the calls for his resignation but has stressed that Ranis Healthcare is committed to meeting the standards required by the CQC.
Election context
The controversy comes just months after George won his council seat in one of the closest contests of the 2025 local elections. Representing the Conservatives in Huntingdon North and Hartford, he secured 703 votes—just four ahead of Liberal Democrat Jo Harvey, who polled 699.
The result reflected an unusually tight four-way split in the division: Reform UK’s candidate Sarah Smith received 687 votes, while Labour’s Luke Viner polled 431. The Green Party trailed with 98 votes. Turnout was 31.5%.
A wider care crisis?
The Ranis Healthcare case also touches on wider concerns about the quality and resilience of social care provision in Cambridgeshire and beyond.
Domiciliary care providers have faced mounting pressures since the pandemic, with chronic staff shortages, rising costs, and increasing demand as more people live longer with complex health needs.
Campaigners argue that these pressures do not excuse the failings highlighted in the CQC report but demonstrate the fragility of a system heavily reliant on private providers to deliver essential services.
The Liberal Democrats have pledged to push for greater council oversight of contracted care providers and stronger safeguards to ensure quality. Harvey said:
“This is not just about one company—it’s about the way we oversee and hold to account the providers who care for our most vulnerable residents. People deserve to feel safe, respected, and cared for. Right now, this case shows we’re falling short.”
Next steps
The CQC has said it will continue monitoring Ranis Healthcare closely. If insufficient improvements are made, enforcement action could follow, including the possibility of the provider losing its licence to operate.
For George, the pressure is both professional and political. As a company director, he faces the immediate challenge of steering Ranis Healthcare out of special measures. As an elected councillor, he must contend with the growing chorus of voices questioning whether he can credibly oversee social care policy while his own business is under regulatory sanction.
With the Liberal Democrats and other opposition parties seizing on the issue, and with his council seat held by just four votes, the controversy is unlikely to fade quickly.
