There was dismay today after a Government report gave a doomed care home a clean bill of health.

Dresden House, in Medina Villas, Hove, was due to close on March 31 after its trustees said they could no longer afford to run the business.

But a Commission for Social Care Inspection report compiled after a December inspection has concluded that standards at the home were high and there were no major problems in any part of its operation.

The report has caused relatives of residents to once again question why Dresden House, one of the city's biggest care homes, was closing.

Nick Steadman, whose aunt Alice Pink, 93, is one of the home's last remaining residents, said: "As expected, absolutely nothing contained in the report supports the trustees' closure decision."

The report praised the home for allowing residents a high degree of independence and for its attractive surroundings.

It said Dresden House had improved in a number of areas since its last inspection in July 2005, most notably in fire safety and identifying more accurately individual residents' needs.

Only two areas out 38 assessed by inspectors failed to meet national standards.

The report's findings contrasted with a statement trustees issued in January announcing the closure.

The statement said: "The trustees decided it would be irresponsible to continue investing money into the fabric of the buildings when they would never be fit for purpose nor would they comply with the care standards."

Jackie Laurie, one of the trustees, later said that the decision was based on a long-term view of standards or care and not on the present situation.

Ian Henshall, who blamed the death of his mother, Edna Henshall, on stress she suffered in the run up to her being evicted from Dresden House said: "The closure may or may not be justified but I agree with many people who feel the trustees have not given adequate reasons to show that it was."

Meanwhile, a Charities Commission investigation into where money from the sale of the £7 million property will be going has delayed the home's closure.

None of the trustees was available for comment yesterday.