Agenda item

 Report of the Corporate Director, Community Services is circulated.

Cllr John Thomson, Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Communities and Libraries presented a report which sought in principle Cabinet approval of an Older People Accommodation Development Strategy, details of which were also presented.

The Strategy provided indicative proposals that would enable the Council to deliver a single integrated older people’s accommodation system in Wiltshire working in partnership with the public, private and voluntary sectors.

The overarching Strategy which if approved would be in place for the next ten years would enable the development of some 715 units of new, mixed tenure extra care housing to meet identified needs in 16 communities. It proposed a review of existing sheltered housing stock throughout the County to ensure it was meeting current and future needs. It also proposed measures to ensure that private sector initiatives contributed to achieving the Council’s desired outcomes for older people in the County.

An indication was given of the facilities to be provided in each of the community areas as a result of the Strategy, details of which would be presented to the respective Area Board.

Cllr Mike Hewitt presented the report of the Rapid Scrutiny Task Group held on 19 January 2011 into the Strategy which included a number of recommendations. The Task Group had acknowledged the need for significant investment in older people’s accommodation in Wiltshire and the financial savings and improvements to people’s lives that could be achieved through this programme of work. It also acknowledged the scale and complexity of the project and the work already done by officers and the Cabinet member and Portfolio Holder. A revised Communications Strategy was presented in response to recommendations made by the Task Group. Cllr Thomson explained that the recommendations made had either already been acted upon or would be.

During debate a number of Councillors whilst supportive of the general principle, expressed concern over how facilities could be configured within their respective Divisions. Councillors  also emphasised the need for effective communications on the implementation of the Strategy to include consultation with the local Division member.  Cllr Thomson emphasised that this was about approving, albeit in principle, the overarching Strategy and that consultation would of course be undertaken on any site specific proposals at the appropriate time. He offered the services of the DCS team to provide further clarification on request.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

(a)                 approve the Older People Accommodation Development Strategy attached as presented at Appendix 1;

(b)                    authorise the procurement of a Preferred Development Partner Framework, the term of the framework to be 10 years, in conjunction with Devon County Council, including the principle of the assembly of parcel(s) of land for disposal.  An additional report will be presented to the Capital Assets Committee and Cabinet once the tender exercise has been conducted;

(c)                     approve the principle of the closure of existing facilities and the associated re-housing of residents into alternative facilities.  Displaced residents will be able to move back to redeveloped facilities on the original site where they lived if there is a new facility in place that can provide for their care needs at that time;

(d)                    approve the revised Communications Strategy as presented which sets out a methodology for a comprehensive stakeholder consultation and engagement process with all of the residents, families, carers, support workers, staff and partner organisations involved.  The Strategy includes consultation with the Area Boards;

(e)                     authorise the production of a Development Strategy Project Plan and a detailed level Risk Management plan, to be reported to the Capital Assets Committee on a bi-annual basis, and the undertaking of a detailed Human Rights and Equalities Impact assessments of the proposals;

(f)                       acknowledge the financial implications associated with the older people accommodation development strategy and request that a further report is presented to Cabinet with further detail once the OSJCT contract renegotiations have progressed;

(g)                    acknowledge that the implementation of this strategy would require a proportion of Wiltshire’s Social Housing Grant allocation to support the development of extra care accommodation, but that the total indicative requirement of £44m may be reduced as a result of the joint development framework tendering exercise;

(h)                    note the requirement for an ongoing revenue budget to fund the development and implementation of the strategy of £200,000 per annum, which will be considered as part of the departmental budget proposals for 2011/2012.

(i)            accept the recommendations of the Rapid Scrutiny Task Group held on 19 January 2011 noting that they had already been acted upon or would be.

Reasons for Decisions:

        i.            Innovative responses are needed as demographic changes put unsustainable pressure on the Wiltshire’s existing stock of accommodation for older people.

      ii.            People have a right to live in modern, affordable, fit for purpose homes where changing needs can be met from within their own communities.

    iii.            Continued investment into existing facilities which are not fit for purpose and cannot be made fit for purpose is an ineffective use of increasingly scarce resources both in terms of capital and revenue funding. 

    iv.            The new facilities that are brought into being by this project will be “state of the art”, efficient and cost effective to run and manage

      v.            The cost avoidance of approximately £600m achievable by the proposals over the next 25 years will help to offset the challenges of the forecast demographic change around older people and is achieved through a diversion of people from residential care to community support or specialist nursing or dementia care, which achieves an on average saving per person of £44 per week.