Agenda item

Cllr John Thomson, Cabinet member for Adult Care, Communities and Housing, presented a report which sought approval to utilise the Middlefields / 357 Hungerdown Lane site in Chippenham for the provision of a new care home and extra care housing development as identified in the Older People’s Accommodation Strategy.

The buildings on this site were coming to the end of their usable life and this proposal offered an opportunity to develop new facilities and meet the needs identified in the Older People’s Accommodation Strategy.

It was recommended that committee exclude the press and public before discussing the financial information set out in the appendix to the report.

Resolved:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, to exclude the public from the meeting for the consideration of the appendix to the report as it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

Noted and discussed the financial information as set out in the appendix to the report, following which the meeting moved back into public session.

Resolved:

That the public be readmitted to the meeting

In response to a question, the Interim Chief Finance Officer confirmed that, should Members be minded to approve this report and the following two reports, the capital programme would remain balanced.  However, as this was an amendment to the Capital Programme, the Committee would recommend the changes to Council, via Cabinet.  It was also suggested that, should Members be minded to support the proposals, and those of the following two reports (The Paddocks, Trowbridge, and Coombe End Court, Marlborough) the three reports should be combined into one report, presenting a broadly neutral capital cost overall.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet (Capital Assets) Committee:

a.      approve the use of the Middlefields / 357 Hungerdown Lane site for the provision of a new care home and extra care units for older people, pending consultation with the Chippenham Area board;

b.     authorise officers to progress investigations into this site to deliver these facilities and to undertake any associated procurement activities required to appoint developers / operators;

c.      delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Community Services to agree the basis on which the land would be transferred to the developer, for example, leased on an open market or peppercorn rent basis, sold for residential or care development, or provided at reduced value to facilitate the development of extra care without external public subsidy;

d.     following the relocation of the existing residents of Seymour House to the new purpose built modern care home and extra care units; approve the sale of the site on the open market to generate a capital receipt; and

e.      delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Community Services to progress plans for any surplus land on the site to generate additional capital receipt to repay the capital programme where appropriate.

f.        recommend to Council, via cabinet, that the necessary changes be approved to the capital programme to enable implementation of the above decisions.

Reasons for Decision

The Middlefields / Hungerdown Lane site will provide the necessary substitute for delivery of the required facilities outlined in the Older People’s Accommodation Strategy and will enable to the residents from Seymour House to relocate to a modern, fit for purpose environment.

Through the development of this site, the Council would benefit from the provision of a new specialist care home for older people with dementia and units of extra care housing to meet the needs of the growing elderly population in Chippenham.  Additionally, this development would improve choice and control for older people.