Issue - items at meetings - Delivery of supported affordable housing at Lowfield Plot A

This paper presents recommendations for the delivery of specialist housing on Lowfield Green to develop high quality housing provision on Lowfield Plot A for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism.

Resolved:

i. Approved the development of Plot A at Lowfield Green for specialist housing for adults with learning disabilities and / or autism utilising the resources of the Housing Delivery Programme working in partnership with Adult Social Care;

ii. Agreed to the allocation of £480k from the Housing Revenue Account for the design development of Plot A at Lowfield Green to carry out design work and allow for the submission of a planning application and note that a future paper will be brought to the Executive to present a full Business Case prior to procuring and appointing a building contractor;

iii. Approved the use of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Brownfield Housing Fund grant allocation for this site to support the delivery of housing on this plot and to delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Community Services (in consultation with the Director of Governance and the Director of Finance) to enter into the resulting funding agreement;

iv. Approved the procurement of an external multidisciplinary team to design the homes and submit a planning application for supported accommodation on Lowfield Plot A and to delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Community Services and the Director of Adults Services and Integration (in consultation with the Director of Governance and the Head of Procurement) to take such steps as are necessary to procure, award and enter into the resulting contracts;

v. Noted that officers are considering the options for specialist care providers to deliver support services once the property is constructed and will carry out soft market testing with providers and bring back a recommendation to Executive to accompany the full business case.

Reason: To increase the supply of affordable housing options for specialist housing provision in the City. To mitigate future costs of expensive out of area placements and improve the standard of supported housing in the City.

The Corporate Director of Adult services and Integration introduced the reporting noting that there was currently a gap between provision and demand for supported housing. She outlined that supported housing delivered the opportunity for individuals to live longer and happily independent lives, as well as, costing the Council less over time.

The Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care welcomed the report and agreed that the Council required more supported affordable housing as there was a growing demand. She welcomed the fact that supported housing provided the opportunity to live independently and as the Council provided more accommodation it would also allow people to continue to live within there own communities.